my turn for a recipe

i use gmail for my e-mail account, and sometimes it creeps me out when they put something up in the ticker at the top of the screen that reminds me just HOW much "they" (whoever "they" are) are monitoring the content of my e-mail.

but sometimes i don't care, like when something like this yummy recipe comes up. i can't wait to try it, so i thought i would prematurely share it. if you make it and have success let me know, and i'll do the same! (The link is here: It has some beautiful photos.)

Bulgur, Celery and Pomegranate Salad

[The author notes: I toasted the walnuts. Also, to get the seeds out of a pomegranate cut the fruit into wedges. Place the wedges in a large bowl of water and break the wedges apart to remove the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the bitter pith and skin will float to the top making it easy to remove. To juice the seeds I simply place small handfuls into a handheld citrus juicer and let the juice run into a separate bowl.]

2/3 cup medium or coarse bulgur
1 pound celery (a small head), cut in thin slices on a slight bias
seeds of 1/2 large pomegranate
3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
1 scant tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

Pomegranate Dressing:
juice of 1/2 large pomegranate
1/2 garlic clove, crushed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon of salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together.

Put the bulgur in a bowl, add (hs note: boiling hot) water to just below the surface of the wheat and leave it to stand for 10 minutes (hs note: 10 - 15 minutes), until just tender but still quite al dente. Add more water as required or drain in a colander if too wet.

Put all the ingredients in a bowl, pour over the dressing and check the seasoning. Serve immediately. Make sure the walnuts are dressed just before serving, as sometimes they can impart a bitter flavour and unpleasant colour to the dressing if left to sit.