Meera Sodha’s recipe for vegan summer vegetable, bulgur and pesto salad

I am fearful of being found out with this recipe, because it follows a similar formula to the chopped salad from a month ago, but there’s a very good reason for that: it works and I love it. It has beans and a grain for softness and substance, as many summer vegetables as you can shake a stick at, and it can be dressed any number of ways, though here I’ve used fresh parsley and basil pesto. These kinds of recipes – the adaptable kind – are the ones that stand the test of time, in my kitchen at least.

Summer vegetable, bulgur and pesto salad

This recipe uses fine bulgur wheat, which you cook simply by pouring boiling water over it. If you can’t find that, use quinoa instead, cook it following the packet instructions, then proceed as below.

Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4

For the salad
150g fine bulgur wheat
200g fine green beans, topped and tailed
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp brined capers, drained
2 slices sourdough (100g), cubed
400g tin butter beans, drained
200g mixed salad leaves
200g cherry tomatoes, halved

For the pesto dressing
50g parsley, leaves and tender stems, chopped
10g basil, leaves and tender stems, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
120g extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (ie, from 1 lemon)
15g cashew nuts
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp fine sea salt

Put the bulgur in a large heatproof bowl, add 225ml just-boiled water, cover with a clean tea towel and put to one side.

In the meantime, put a large frying pan for which you have a lid on a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the fine green beans and four tablespoons of water. Cover with the lid and leave to cook for five minutes, or until bright green and more tender than crunchy.

Tip the cooked beans on to a plate, then in the same pan heat two tablespoons of oil. When that’s hot, add the capers, fry for four to five minutes, until crisp, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a second plate.

Put another tablespoon of oil in the pan, if need be, add the bread, and fry, tossing regularly, for six to eight minutes, until crisp and golden. Transfer the bread to the capers plate.

Throw all the ingredients for the pesto dressing into a small blender, add two tablespoons of water and blend smoothish.

To build the salad, take the tea towel off the bulgur wheat and add the butter beans, green beans, leaves and tomatoes, pour over the dressing and mix really well. Fold in the bread and capers, then tip out on to a platter and serve.

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