Bulgur wheat has a wonderful nutty texture and when tossed with a mixture of roasted summer vegetables and mild roasted garlic dressing it becomes a fabulous centre piece for a meal. A few greens is all that would be needed to accompany the salad.

Ingredients

• 2 cups turkey or chicken stock
• 1½ cups bulgur wheat
• 1 each red, green and yellow pepper
• 6-8 scallopini or cougettes
• 8-10 baby leeks or spring onions
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
• 20 olives, green, black or both
• 150-200 grams sliced cooked turkey
• 150-200 grams sliced ham
• Dressing
• 1 bulb garlic, roasted
• ½ cup good olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh mint, parsley and basil

Method

1. Bring the turkey or chicken stock to the boil and pour in the bulgur wheat. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes until the bulgur is fluffy and has absorbed all the stock. Squeeze out any excess moisture.
2. Grill the peppers under a hot heat until they are blackened and blistered all over. Transfer to a bag or lidded container and allow to steam for about 15 minutes until they are cool enough to handle.
3. Turn the oven to a very hot 240ºC. Place a piece of foil on a tray or grease a baking tray. Cut the scallopini into quarters (or cut the courgettes into 2cm lengths) and place on the tray with the leeks or spring onions. Bake for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook a further 10 minutes.
4. Peel the cooled peppers and cut the flesh into long strips.
5. In a large bowl toss together the bulgur wheat, peppers, scallopini, leeks, tomatoes, olives, turkey and ham. Gently fold through the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature to ensure good flavours.
6. Dressing
7. Cut the garlic bulb in half horizontaly and squeeze the cooked and squeeze the cooked garlic pulp into a food processor.
8. Add the olive oil, vinegar, capers, mustard and herbs and process until the dressing is thick and smooth. Season well with pepper and salt.
9. To roast garlic bulbs
10. Place a fresh, firm garlic bulb in the centre of a piece of foil. Pour over a teaspoon of olive oil and wrap loosely, but securely enough to prevent odours leaking. Bake at 180ºC for an hour. You can do several bulbs at once and store them in the fridge, or you can puree the cooked paste with oil and use it to flavour your dishes.

Cooks Tips

- Bulgur wheat is hulled wheat, steamed until partially cooked, then dried and cracked into coarse grains. It is also sold as cracked wheat or bulghur. Keep bulgur wheat stored in an airtight container. Use it for stuffing roast chicken or include it in minced meat dishes such as hamburgers. Always allow it 30 minutes to soften and swell before mixing with the other ingredients.