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| Barbequed Courgette and Bulgur Wheat Salad |
It can be really difficult to watch your weight when heading to a BBQ with friends and family. There will be a mountain of meat, some sumptuous fish, and if you’re lucky the odd veggie kebab on the BBQ too. The table of sides often isn’t much better with mayonnaise laden potato salads, coleslaw swimming in yet more mayonnaise and sugary condiments.
My Mum and I are often the bringers of “green salad” to these kind of events but the limp lettuce tends to get pushed around the plate. One leaf might make its way into a burger bun if its lucky.
With that in mind I’ve started making a conscious effort to serve up more exciting salads when cooking up a storm around a BBQ.
Before I thought if people weren’t willing to eat a simple green salad, why would they be willing to try a cous-cous or bulgur wheat one? I won’t lie to you, I have had mixed success in this regard. My Nan and Grandad simply won’t touch the stuff, but it turns out the rest of my family are much more willing to try new things.
With that in mind here’s one of my favourites. It’s a warm salad with the courgette grilled and served over the fluffy bed of bulgur wheat at the last minute. This gives it a bit of theatre and people feel like they’re not betraying the BBQ!
I also believe that this salad goes quite well with a whole range of BBQ options – sausages and burgers as well as fish will all feel at home next to this salad. The flavours are quite simple but seriously tasty and the olive oil gives the dish a rounded, warming taste of summer that compliments almost anything it’s served alongside.
The only way I’m going to convince you though is to get you to cook it yourself! Print off this recipe below and see for yourself just how tasty it is.
Ingredients
- 1 large cup of bulgur wheat
- 4 spring onions
- 1 large courgette
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the bulgur wheat according to the instructions leaving you 5 mins to spare before you want to serve the dish.
- Whilst the bulgur wheat is cooking, juice the lemon and stir together with the olive oil and a healthy helping of cracked black pepper.
- Give them a good stir and place to one side. Using a vegetable peeler, create ribbons of courgette.
- Chop the spring onions and stir into the drained bulgur wheat.
- Place the ribbons of courgette directly on to the BBQ. Cook for 1-2mins either side until they have char lines.
- Drape over the top of your bulgur wheat and drizzle over the olive oil dressing. Serve immediately while still warm!
So there it is, an incredibly simple salad that will get your guests eating salad without even realising it! Make a point of showing them how the courgette for the salad is prepared, so they feel like it’s just another treat off the Barbie to convince the more carnivorous guests!
I cooked this delicious salad on Bank Holiday Monday allongside these other delicious BBQ treats, why not give them a try too:
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