Risotto zucchine e gamberetti (zucchini & shrimp risotto)

For ➍ 

vegetable broth 

1.5 l water 

1 lemon, zest, grated 

1 carrot 

1 celery rib 

½ onion 

coarse salt 

risotto

350 g arborio rice 

2 zucchini 

250 g shrimps 

½ onion, chopped 

olive oil 

½ glass white wine 

50 g butter *

lemon, zest, grated 

fine salt 

decorate 

lemon, zest, grated 

mint 

Start with a vegetable broth. Put the water in a pot and add the carrot, celery, onion and the zest of a lemon. Bring it to boil. 

In a frying pan, brown the chopped onion. Add the zucchini cut into small pieces, salt and cook for about 5 m. Add the shrimps in the pan and let it cook for another 2 m. Remove from the fire and keep aside. 

In another pan, toast the rice. When it's very hot, blend it with the white wine. Add the broth a little at a time, and mix the risotto. As soon as the broth dries, add a ladle and continue like this for about 15 m, to cook the rice.**

When it is close to the cooking, add the zucchini and shrimp and cook for a couple of more m. 

Turn off the heat and stir with the butter, stirring the risotto well. Add a copious grated lemon zest. Decorate the risotto with another lemon zest and a mint leaf. Serve immediately.

*Optional.

*Use a quicker way to cook risotto.

Eggplant with feta, mint rice & tomato sauce

For ➍ 

3 garlic cloves

5 tbs mild olive oil

10 cl balsamico

4 eggplants

1 tbs dried oregano

300 g three-color rice or nut rice

1 shallot

400 g polpa with basilic

½ tbs brown sugar

16 caper apples

200 g feta 43+ or vegan alternative

40 g fresh mint

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Squeeze ⅔ of the garlic into a small bowl and mix with ⅘ of the oil and balsamic vinegar. Halve the eggplants lengthwise, leaving the stem on. Cut the eggplants on the cut side crosswise every centimeter and place them cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with half of the balsamic mixture and sprinkle with the oregano. Season with pepper and possibly salt. Bake for 35 m until soft and cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.

Chop the shallot and finely chop the rest of the garlic. Heat the rest of the oil in a small pan and fry the shallot and garlic for 2 m over medium heat. Add the finely chopped canned tomatoes, season with pepper and the brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat for 15-20 m.

Cut the capers in half. Crumble the feta. Remove the leaves from the mint sprigs and roughly chop. Set aside 1 tbs mint (per 4 people) and mix the rest of the mint with the rice. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Sprinkle with the rest of the balsamic mixture and the caper apple halves. 

Serve with the mint rice and the tomato sauce and garnish with the feta, the reserved mint and some pepper.

Risotto agli asparagi al mente e limone (risotto with asparagus, mint & lemon)

For ➑
risotto base:
1 l organic vegetable or chicken stock
2 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, peeled & finely chopped
4-5 sticks celery, trimmed & finely chopped
600 g risotto rice
25 cl vermouth or dry white wine
risotto:
2 bunches asparagus, woody ends removed & discarded*
70 cl organic vegetable or chicken stock
50 g butter
1 small handful Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated, plus a block for grating**
1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked & finely chopped
zest & juice of 2 lemons
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Slice the asparagus stalks finely sliced to 2.5 cm below the tips. Finely chop your asparagus stalks into tiny discs, keeping the tips whole.
Then start making your basic risotto recipe.
Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Put the olive oil in a separate large pan, add the onion and celery and cook very gently for about 15 m, without colouring, until soft. Add the rice (it will sizzle) and turn up the heat. Don't let the rice or veg catch on the bottom of the pan, so keep it moving.
Quickly pour in the vermouth or wine. You will smell the alcohol immediately, so keep stirring all the time until it has evaporated, leaving the rice with a lovely perfume.
Add the stock to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue to add ladlefuls of stock until it has all be absorbed. This should take about 14 to 15 m and give you rice that is beginning to soften but is still a little al dente. Put aside.
Put a large saucepan on a medium to high heat and pour in half the stock, followed by all your risotto base and the finely sliced asparagus stalks and the tips. Stirring all the time, gently bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until almost all the stock has been absorbed. Add the rest of the stock a ladleful at a time until the rice and asparagus are cooked. You might not need all your stock. Be careful not to overcook the rice. It should hold its shape but be soft, creamy and oozy, and the overall texture should be slightly looser than you think you want it.
Turn off the heat, beat in your butter and cheese, mint, almost all the lemon zest and all the juice. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for 1 m.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of lemon zest and a block of Parmigiano on the table.

*Or microwave the asparagus, then gril for a few m. Add some good pepper. Serve with the risotto.
**Make a non-vegetarian variation with sprinkling in a little picked crab or lobster meat or fresh, peeled shrimps or sliced scallops. Reduce your cheese by half.

Tip: cooking asparagus
Tip: a quick and fine risotto

Risotto with asparagus, lemon & mint

For ➍

50 cl vegetable stock 

2 tbs olive oil 

½ large onion, peeled & finely chopped 

2 sticks celery, trimmed & finely chopped 

200-250 g risotto rice 

10 cl vermouth or dry white wine 

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed 

35 cl extra vegetable stock 

25 g butter 

1 small handful Parmigiano, freshly grated, plus a block for grating 

½ bunch fresh mint, leaves picked & finely chopped 

1 lemon, zest & juice 

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 

extra virgin olive oil

Finely chop your asparagus stalks into tiny discs, keeping the tips whole. Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Put the olive oil in a separate large pan, add the onion and celery and cook very gently for about 15 m, without colouring, until soft. Add the rice and turn up the heat. Don't let the rice or veg catch on the bottom of the pan, so keep it moving. Quickly pour in the vermouth or wine. Keep stirring all the time until it has evaporated. 

Add the stock to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next. Turn the heat down to low so the rice doesn't cook too quickly, otherwise the outside of each grain will be stodgy and the inside hard and nutty and continue to add ladlefuls of stock until it has all be absorbed. This should take about 14 to 15 m** and give you rice that is beginning to soften but is still a little al dente. Put to one side. 

Put a large saucepan on a medium to high heat and pour in ½ the extra stock, followed by all your risotto base and the finely sliced asparagus stalks and the tips. Stirring all the time, gently bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until almost all the stock has been absorbed. Add the rest of the stock a ladleful at a time until the rice and asparagus are cooked. You might not need all your stock. Turn off the heat, beat in your butter and Parmigiano, mint, almost all the lemon zest and all the juice.**  Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for 1 m. 

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of lemon zest and a block of Parmigiano. 

*You can replace ½ of the cheese with a little picked crab or lobster meat or fresh, peeled prawns or sliced scallops.

**Adjust cooing times to your kind of rice.  The asparagus will take about 8-15 m to be cooked al dente.

Read a tip for a quicker risotto.

Grilled aubergine with pomegranate & pistachio

For ➍
3 eggplants
¼ ts turmeric
1 tbs garam masala
peanut oil
3 tbs pistachios
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint
1 pomegranate
2 shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbs sugar cubes*
3 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp pilipili

Peel the garlic and shallots. Chop finely.
Chop the coriander and mint leaves until you have 1 tbs of each.
Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic, sugar, vinegar, pilipili and 3 tbs water.
Boil for 1 m, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stir in the chopped coriander, mint and 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds.
Rinse the salt from the aubergines and pat them dry.
Mix 3 tbs oil with the garam masala and turmeric into a paste and brush the aubergine slices with it.
Heat the grill pan and fry them on both sides in beautiful, black lines.
Arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with oil and continue cooking until the aubergines are soft.
Arrange the slices on a serving dish and spoon the dressing over it.
Garnish with the rest of the pomegranate seeds, mint leaves and coriander.
Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.
Serve as an opener or as a side dish at e.g. grilled lamb crown.

* Replace if necessary by honey. Or replace the wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar for a sweeter taste.

Torta alla menta soffice (soft mint torte)

For ➋➋ cm cake tin
200 g 00 flour
50 g potato starch
3 medium eggs
130 g caster sugar*
14 cl whole milk
6 cl mint syrup
8 cl peanut or sunflower seed oil
10 g baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Whip the eggs together with the sugar with the electric mixer until they are swollen and foamy.
Add the milk and the mint syrup, continuing to whisk with the whisk.
Sift the 00 flour, the starch and the yeast and place them in the bowl alternating with the seed oil.
Finally add the pinch of salt and stir.
Grease and flour a 22 cm diameter cake tin.
Bake in a static oven and preheated to 160°C for 45-50 m.
Times vary from oven to oven, check with a toothpick to see if it is cooked.
After cooking time, take out the mint cake and let it cool completely before serving.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.
Keep it under a glass jar or well protected from moisture for up to 3 days.

*If you prefer sweeter you can increase the sugar to 150 g.
The color depends on the syrup you use.
Use it as a base to fill with Nutella, chocolate or jamr.
For a gluten-free version you can replace the 00 flour with the one you commonly use or with rice flour. Check that all ingredients are gluten-free, even mint syrup.

Fattoush (Lebanese pita salad)

For ➍
1 pepper, julienned
4 tomatoes, in parts
6 mini-cucumbers, in thick slices, or 1 young 'normal', cut in half lengthwise
1 shallot, finely chopped
6 sprigs of mint, leaves only, finely chopped
2 pita bread, open & cut for an extra crispy effect
1 tbs sumac
1 lemon, squeezed
olive oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped*

In a large bowl, mix sumac, lemon juice, oil and any garlic with salt and pepper into a tasty dressing. Add the vegetables and the mint and mix well.
Roast the pita bread golden brown and crispy*.
Break them into pieces and serve them with the salad*.

*Marinate the toasted bread in the dressing, this gives a soft, comforting structure to the salad.

Marinated orange carpaccio & Aperol granita

For ➍
8 oranges, 4 for serving
2 tbs pistachios, minced
fresh mint
granita:
2.5 dl Aperol
2.5 dl water
200 g sugar
zest of 1 orange
marinade:
2 dl fresh orange juice
50 g sugar
½ vanilla pod
½ ts pink peppercorns
1 quill cinnamon
1 star anise
lemon peel & orange zest for decoration

Prepare the granita the day before. Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Let this syrup cool. Dilute 2.5 dl Aperol and add 2.5 dl syrup. Finish with orange peel and mix carefully. Pour into the ice cube tray and freeze for 12 h.*
For the marinade: bring all ingredients to a boil and let cool in the fridge.
Peel 1 orange per person, cut into thin slices and arrange on a freezer cooled deep plate.
Pour a little marinade over it. Decorate with mint and minced pistachios.
Just before serving, place a scoop (or a nice ball) of granita* over it.

*To make the granita ready for serving, mix lightly in a food processor. Continue with a fork.
The traditional method is to freeze the liquid for 2 h, or until the mixture is frozen around the edges. With a fork, draw ice from the edges towards the centre. Return to the freezer, and then repeat this process about 3-4 times, every 30 m, or until all of the granita mixture is formed of ice crystals. Serve immediately.

Limonana

For ➋
6 tbs (115 g) sugar
12 cl plus 6 tbs (9 cl) water, divided
12 cl fresh lemon juice
4 stems worth of mint leaves (about 40 leaves, which is about 2 g) with the stems discarded, plus a few extra sprigs for garnish if desired
18-20 ice cubes
1-2 drops orange blossom water (optional)

Add the sugar and 6 tbs of water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Add the cooled sugar syrup, remaining 12 cl water, lemon juice, mint leaves, ice cubes, and orange blossom water (if using) to a blender. Pulse a few times to break up the ice and then process until slushy.
Pour into 2 tall glasses, garnish with mint leaves if desired, and serve immediately.

Wikipedia on the name: In Israel, the name came from an advertising campaign conducted in the early 1990s. At that time, public-bus advertising was in its infancy in Israel. The Fogel Levin advertising agency undertook a bus-only campaign to prove the effectiveness of this new medium. Fogel Levin advertised a soft drink called Limonana and printed its ads through the Galgalei Zahav (Wheels of Gold) company. The ads, describing the drink as a blend of lemon and mint, reported, "Rabinowitz drinks Limonana" and, "Ohana drinks Limonana", referring to celebrities of the time. The ad campaign created a buzz[4] and consumers flocked to stores and kiosks to try the new flavor. Two weeks into the campaign, with consumers and stores clamoring for the product, the advertising agency admitted that no such drink existed. Spurred by customer demand, first restaurants and then soft drink manufacturers began to produce the flavor combination.

Spiced lamb with pomegranate salad

For ➋
1 garlic clove
a pinch coarse sea salt
1 ts black peppercorns
1 ts coriander seeds
1 ts smoked paprika
a drizzle of olive oil
2 lamb steaks
pomegranate salad

Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the black peppercorns, coriander seeds and paprika. Add 2 tbs of olive oil, till you have a rough, loose paste. Baste the lamb steaks with the spice mix then set aside for at least 15 m, longer if you can.
Lay the steaks on a hot barbecue to ensure a charred crust and leave to cook for approximately 10 m, turning them occasionally.
When the lamb is cooked, season generously with some coarse sea salt and serve with the  pomegranate & cucumber salad.

*Or try a slow cooking recipe.

Pomegranate & cucumber salad

For ➋
1 whole cucumber
seeds from ½ pomegranate
a few sprigs mint

Chop the cucumber into neatish chunks and put in a serving bowl. Remove the seeds from half a pomegranate, avoiding any of the white pith. Scatter over the cucumber. Finally tear over the cooling mint and toss together.
Serve wth grilled or marinated lamb or chicken

More pomegranate salads: pomegranate,endives & feta, pomegranate, tomatoes & garlic, warm lamb salad with pomegranate & mint, pomegranate & quinoa salad, Friuli winter salad, pomegranate fruit salad

Kibbeh & fattoush (Lebanese lamb meatballs & bread salad)

For ➍
500 g lamb minced meat
100 g of rucola
4 meat tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 little-gem lettuce rougette
½ lemon
1 flat flat parsley
4 sprigs of mint (fresh)
1 red onion
1 clove of garlic
120 g bulgur
2 pita bread
3 tbs raisins
3 dl vegetable stock (½ cube or 1 ts powder dissolved in 3 dl hot water)
6 tbs olive oil
1 ts ground cumin
1 ts ground coriander
½ ts cinnamon
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
black pepper & salt

Put the bulgur in a bowl and pour over the stock. Cover and simmer for 10 m. Let it cool down.
Cut the red onion and garlic into julienne.
Deseed the tomatoes and cut into pieces.
Cut the unpeeled cucumber into 2, length wise. deseed with a spoon. Cut in 0.5 cm thick slices.
Chop the parsley leaves roughly. Pull the mint leaves from the stalks.
Roast the pita bread in the toaster or in a preheated oven.
Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a pan and glaze the onion and garlic with the cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper and coriander. Mix with the bulgur and the raisins through the lamb meat. Add black pepper and salt. Roll the mixture with your hands into balls. Shape each ball into an oval so that they get the shape of a lemon.
Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a pan and bake the balls golden brown, 4-5 m.
Mix the lettuce leaves with the rucola, the cucumber, the tomatoes, the chopped parsley and the mint leaves.
Squeeze half the lemon (you need 2 tbs of juice). Stir 3 tbs olive oil in and add black pepper and salt. Mix the dressing under the salad.
Trim the pita bread in coarse pieces and mix under the salad.
Serve the baked balls with the salad.

Kibbeh, Arabic for 'balls', can be made from lamb, camel or beef. Sometimes they are covered in mashed potatoes before baking. Serve them while still hot, with a salad, like in this proposition, while or a snack with yogurt (or sour cream) and lime wedges. They can also be served at room temperature and they go great with pita bread, hummus, babaganoush and/or tabbouleh.
Kibbeh look-alikes are calle quibe or kibe in Portuguese. In the Dominican Republic they call it quipe or pipe.
Fattoush is a classic Lebanese bread salad, that can be eaten on its own or with meat.

Bob Dylan's finest mint julep

For ➊ drink
6 tbs Bourbon whiskey
1 tbs powder sugar
4 mint sprigs
1 tbs water

A traditional way to make a julep is to bruise the mint leaves, and put them in a glass with sugar, and add ice and bourbon. Bob Dylan described in his Theme Time Radio Hour how to make, by his preferences, a perfect mint julep:
“First up, you take four mint sprigs, two and a half ounces of bourbon. I'd put three. A table spoon of powder sugar, and a table spoon of water. You put the mint leaves, powder sugar and water in a Collins glass. You fill the glass with shaved, or crushed ice, and then add bourbon. Top that off with more ice. And... I'd like to garnish that with a mint sprig. Serve it with a straw. Two or three of those, and anything sounds good."

Read more Bob Dylan suggestions: Bob Dylan's perfect meatballs.

Quick mint cider

For ➊ drink
½ tbs white mint syrup*
15 cl brut cider**

Freeze long-stemmed glasses until frosted. Put mint syrup in glass. Pour cider in.

*Avoid syrups that are too sweet, or that contain artificial colouring or flavours.
Or make your own fresh mint syrup.
Or put some sugar and fresh mint leaves in a larger glass and pour over the cider.
**Use a good Normandy bitter apple cider, not too sweet.

This is a quick version of a traditional mint cider punch. (Put a good bunch of chopped fresh mint and 1,5 l apple cider in a pot, bring to boil and simmer for 5 m. Cool and strain. Add 25 cl lemonade or soda and refrigerate. Add 10 cl lemon vodka and 10 cl green apple vodka before serving. Cut the vodka if you want.) This also inspired the Rumor cocktail (mix white old rum, mint, cider, fresh lime and top with soda).
Recently, the Japanese beverage giant Suntory launched a soft drink Cool Mint Cider, with just too much sugar in it, and dressed with icy penguins.

Iced zucchini velouté

For ➍
250 g natural yoghurt
10 large mint leaves
2 medium zucchini (600g), diced, unpeeled
pepper & salt
4 tbs pine nuts
2 cubes low-fat broth

Bring 50 cl of water to a boil with the stock. Add the zucchini and cook for 8 m.
Grill the pine nuts in a non-stick pan without fat.
Take the cooked courgettes from heat, add 25 cl of cold water, pour into a bowl and let cool completely.
Add the yogurt and mint leaves to the cold soup. Mix until smooth and put in the refrigerator.
If necessary, add some ice cubes in the soup when serving.

Agnello alla griglia con asparagi (grilled lamb chops with asparagus)

For ➍
2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2–3 sprigs rosemary*
salt flakes
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 tbs white wine
16 lamb chops
16 spears asparagus, trimmed if necessary
mint leaves, to garnish
lemon wedges, to serve

Place the garlic and rosemary in a mortar, add a pinch of salt and pound with the pestle until the garlic breaks down into a paste. Add the olive oil and wine and mix well. Set aside.
Bash the chops with a meat mallet. This process will tenderise the meat as well as increase the surface area the marinade can stick to. Massage the lamb chops with the garlic marinade, making sure they are evenly coated. Place the chops in a non-reactive bowl or plastic container, cover with a lid or plastic film and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water for 1–2 minutes or until tender, but still firm to the touch. Drain, then rinse under cold water to preserve the vivid green colour. Season to taste with salt, then finish with a drizzle of extra olive oil and a scattering of mint leaves.
Heat up a chargrill pan or a coal barbecue. Cook the chops on both sides over very high heat until scorched but still succulent. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the chops and personal taste, but as a guide, for medium, cook on both sides for 2–3 m. Cover the chops with foil and rest for 5 m before serving.
Arrange the chops and asparagus on a large serving platter, squeeze a little lemon juice over the top and serve hot.
Serve with grilled potatoes.

*Oregano will do as well.

Mint julep

For ➊ drink
10 cl good Bourbon whiskey*
5 cl (4 tbs) white mint syrup**
6 tbs crushed ice
fresh mint sprig to garnish

Put a deep glass*** in the freezer for 30 m or more. When frosted, take them out by the edges with a towel.
Fill with crushed ice. Pour in mint syrup*, then bourbon.
Serve with a fresh sprig of mint and a short straw, peeping just above the rim.

*Or Tennessee sour mash.
**Avoid syrups that are too sweet, or that contain artificial colouring or flavours.
Or make your own fresh mint syrup.
Or use another method: see Bob Dylan's finest mint julep.
***Silver goblets may be used to great effect.

Mint juleps were developed in the 18th century in the Eastern American states like Virginia, but have now become a traditional Southern drink, due to the bourbon or sour mash used to make it. Mint juleps show up in popular culture, with several songs about it, including the great One Mint Julep by the Clovers, also a big hit for Ray Charles about the disastrous combination of just 1 mint julep & just 1 bad woman.
The julep uses a similar mixing method as the mojito. The word 'julep' is derived from Arabic 'julab' and Persian 'gulab', meaning 'rosewater'.
Read more on mint drinks: quick mint cider.

Grilled catfish with broad beans puree & mint

For ➍
450 g broad beans (fava)
500 g new potatoes
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbs white wine
250 g roma tomatoes (quartered)
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
½ bag of fresh mint (or 15 g)
1 tbs lemon juice
600 g catfish fillet
25 g butter

Remove gray skin of beans.
Cook potatoes in 20 m.
Stir shallot with white wine. Add tomatoes, 1 tbs of oil, salt and pepper.
Pluck mint leaves.
Boil broad beans for 2 m. Drain in colander. Puree coarsely with mint and 1 tbs of oil. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
Heat grill pan. Pat fish dry, rub with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5-7 m until golden. Turn after 3-4 m.
Spread broad beans puree on 4 warm plates, put catfish on top and lay tomatoes with dressing around it. Cover potatoes with butter, stir and serve in separate bowl*.

*Or make a mash of the potatoes. Add the broad beans puree.

Pheasant salad with fennel

For ➋***
1 whole pheasant or chicken breast, or a half of a turkey breast
1 l pheasant, turkey or chicken stock
1 medium fennel bulb, chopped
2 ts fennel pollen (optional)
1-2 tbs green fennel seeds (optional)
1 tbs mint leaves, chopped
1 small, red hot chilli, minced
zest & juice of 1 lemon
6 cl olive oil
salt &  black pepper to taste

Bring the broth to a simmer in a lidded pot. Turn the heat off and drop the pheasant breasts in. Make sure they are submerged. Cover the pot.
Meanwhile, chop the fennel bulb into pieces. Add all the remaining ingredients and set aside.
The pheasant breasts should be fully cooked in 20 m.* ** When the pheasant is cool enough to handle, shred it into pieces.
Mix everything together and let it stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 h. You can also store it overnight in the fridge.

*Turkey and chicken breasts are larger and will take longer. A turkey breast might require a full 45 m in the warm broth.
**Save the broth for soup or something else. It will keep in the fridge a week or so.
***Double quantities for 4.

Tabbouleh

For ➍
15 g medium bulgur wheat (optional)
30 g fine bulgur wheat (*)
400 g ripe tomatoes
6 spring onions
2 lemons, juice only
½ ts ground black pepper
½ ts ground allspice
½ ts ground cinnamon
½ ts ground coriander
¼ ts ground nutmeg
¼ ts ground cloves
¼ ts ground ginger
175 g flat-leaf parsley
45 g mint
5 tbs olive oil
2 tbs pomegranate arils (optional)

Preheat the oven to 140°C if using the medium bulgur wheat. Rinse the fine bulgur wheat in cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well in a sieve and put in a bowl. Fluff up with a fork.
Rinse the medium bulgur, if using, in boiling water, drain well, spread out on a baking tray and put in the oven for 20 m. Fluff up with a fork when done.
Meanwhile, finely chop the tomatoes and finely slice the spring onions and add both, plus juices, to the wheat. Add the juice of 1½ lemons. Mix the spices together well, and add 1 ts to the bowl.
Douse the herbs in cold water, chop most of the stalks off the parsley, and then take a small bunch, gather together on the board and slice it as finely as you can. Repeat with the rest. Pick the leaves from the mint and do the same, being as gentle as possible.
Add the herbs to the bowl along with the oil, season and toss well. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or spice mix to taste.
Scatter with the pomegranate and toasted bulgur, if using, just before serving.

*Use couscous instead. Adapt cooking method.