It’s a refreshing and inviting salad featuring the best of summer with fresh, sweet nectarines, warm bulgar, and feta…and you can serve it in a bowl, or even better, beautifully displayed on a platter.
Editor’s Note: Renee Muller came across this salad, prepared by Ruchy Frankel, when she traveled to London for her niece’s wedding. In some out-of-town communities, where there are many guests who travel to attend a wedding, there is a custom to have a breakfast in the kallah’s home the next morning.
Family members who have traveled to attend the wedding (and also those who are local), come to say goodbye and share nachas in regards to the previous evening. But, since it’s really hard for the mother of a kallah to host a breakfast right after a wedding, the neighbors and friends take over!
Renee watched as neighbors and friends piled into her sister’s home where she was staying, bringing in the food and setting up the tables (the neighbors and friends don’t stay. They just set up and then leave, letting the family enjoy). There were a few salads in bowls, and there was one beautiful salad on a table. Renee heard one lady say to another, “Oh, that’s an American salad.”
“Why do you say that’s an American salad?” Renee asked.
“Because it’s on a platter,” she responded, pronouncing “platta” with her British accent.
“The bulgar was hot, the feta melted into it, and it was delicious and so inviting and gone in seconds,” Renee remembers.
The salad was made by Ruchy Frankel, who is actually originally from Canada (although she has a British accent by now). And she was happy to share the recipe.
So now, let’s allow Ruchy to show us how she prepares this.
Start with the dressing. Add the shallot and all remaining dressing ingredients to a jar.
Blend using an immersion blender.
Now we’re going to plate this salad, on a “pla-tta.” Start with your greens. If you’re going to be serving this salad right away, you can toss the greens with a spoon or two of dressing (and more later). If the salad is going to be sitting for awhile longer, leave them undressed.
Cucumbers, nectarines, nuts…
Avocado, feta…
If you’re serving this right away, add the bulgar while it’s hot so that the feta gets a little melty. If you’re plating it to serve in a little while, or you’ve prepared all components ahead, it’s fine for the bulgar to be at room temperature.
Don’t add the dressing until just before you’re ready to serve.
And toss…
Whether they’re “American,” or not, we cannot say, but there’s something about serving a salad on a platter that really showcases their beauty.
Bulgur Nectarine Salad
Ingredients
- 2-3 containers mixed greens (we used 7.5 oz Summer Crisp)
- 4-5 Persian cucumbers OR 1 ½ English cucumbers, cubed
- 3 nectarines, sliced
- 2 avocados, cubed
- ½ cup shelled salted pistachios
- 1 (8 oz) container feta cheese, cubed (optional for dairy meals)
- 1 – 1 ½ cups cooked bulgur
Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup avocado oil (alternatively use ¾ olive oil total)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp unsweetened raspberry or strawberry jam
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 shallot
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a jar and blend using an immersion blender.
- Assemble the salad. Place lettuce on a platter or in a bowl. Add some salt and toss. If you will be serving this salad in the next hour or two, you can also add a few spoons of dressing and toss.
- Prepare the bulgar according to package instructions. Bulgar is typically prepared simply by pouring boiling water over it in a bowl. You can also prepare it in a Betty Crocker.
- Layer or scatter the cucumbers, nectarines, avocados, nuts, feta, and bulgar.
- Just before serving, add some more dressing and toss. Enjoy!
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This looks delicious! Where do I purchase unsweetened raspberry or strawberry jam? Is there a specific brand?
Oxygen brand makes an all natural fruit spread and can be found in many kosher grocery stores.
Any ideas to swap for nectarine? Looks yum!