Bulgur Stuffed Summer Vegetables Food

VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, eggplant, a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and starting to soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 more tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, until the spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups water, the tomatoes, beans, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and reduce the heat to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grate the tofu on the large holes of a box grater onto a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Gather up the sides of the towel and wring the tofu dry. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, spreading it out; cook, stirring once or twice, until well browned and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir the tofu and corn into the chili and heat through, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Thin the chili with water, if needed.
• Divide the chili among bowls. Top with avocado, cheese, cilantro and corn chips.

SALMON WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a baking sheet; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast until tender and golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season the salmon with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons herbs. Refrigerate until ready to roast. Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with the scallions, the remaining 2 tablespoons herbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• Remove the squash from the oven and push to one side of the baking sheet. Put the salmon on the other side, herb-side up. Return to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through and the squash is browned, about 7 minutes. Serve the salmon and squash with the tomato salad.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH BULGUR AND HERBS

Steps:

• Place the bulgur in a bowl and add 1/4 teaspon salt. Mix together. Bring 1 cup water to a boil, and pour over the bulgur. Allow to sit for 30 minutes or until the bulgur is soft and fluffy. Transfer to a strainer and press out excess water. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice off the tops of the tomatoes, about 3/4 inch down from the stem (or far enough down that it will be easy for you to hollow them out). Using a teaspoon or a grapefruit spoon, carefully scoop out the seeds, taking care not to cut through the skins. Place in a strainer set above a bowl. Rub the seed pods against the strainer to extract the juice. Discard the seeds. Carefully scoop out the pulp, and chop fine.
• Mix together the bulgur, herbs, garlic, pine nuts, the chopped tomato pulp, 1/4 cup of the strained juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Season the hollowed out tomatoes with salt and pepper. Fill each tomato with the bulgur filling (you may have some stuffing left over). Place in a baking dish that is small enough to fit the tomatoes snugly. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over each one, and place the caps on top. Pour about 1/2 inch of water into the pan, and cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover. Serve warm, or allow to cool to room temperature.
• Puree the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Stir into the yogurt, along with the mint. Serve the stuffed tomatoes with a dollop of the yogurt.

EGGPLANT-AND-BULGUR-STUFFED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat skillet over moderate heat until hot, then cook eggplant, turning occasionally with tongs, until blackened on all sides and tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, peel eggplant, then cut flesh into 1/2-inch pieces.
• While eggplant cooks, core tomatoes and cut off top 1/2 inch from each. Cut tops into 1/4-inch dice and set aside. Scoop out insides of tomatoes with a melon-ball cutter or a spoon into a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl, leaving shells intact. Force pulp and juice through sieve, discarding seeds. Add enough water to juice to total 2 cups and set aside. Sprinkle tomato shells with 1/4 teaspoon salt, then invert onto a rack set in a shallow baking pan and drain 20 minutes.
• Scoop flesh from zucchini halves into a bowl using a melon-ball cutter or spoon, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Coarsely chop flesh and set aside.
• Cook chopped zucchini and onion in 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add bulgur, sugar, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until bulgur is coated, about 1 minute. Add juice mixture, diced tomatoes, and currants and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover skillet, then let stand until liquid is absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 10 minutes.
• While bulgur stands, put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Arrange tomato and zucchini shells, cut sides up, in an oiled 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan. Brush insides of shells with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total), then sprinkle zucchini only with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Put bell pepper halves in an oiled 13- by 9-inch baking pan, then brush insides with some oil and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Stir eggplant pieces, 2 tablespoons parsley, and salt and pepper to taste into bulgur mixture. Spoon stuffing into vegetable shells, then drizzle stuffing with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cover pans loosely with foil.
• Bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetable shells are just tender but not falling apart, 20 to 30 minutes for tomatoes and zucchini and 30 to 40 minutes for bell peppers. Cool vegetables to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley just before serving.