The Chef’s Take: Duo of Tabbouleh from Travis Swikard at Boulud Sud

Tabbouleh — the classic Middle Eastern cracked wheat bulgur salad with lemon and parsley — has gotten a brilliant makeover at Boulud Sud, Daniel Boulud’s elegant Upper West Side restaurant, featuring the lush flavors of the Mediterranean. Chef Travis Swikard’s duo of tabbouleh features a riot of flavors that includes mint, cilantro, jalapeno and za’atar, as well as dried barberries, figs, apricots, walnuts and pomegranate seeds. To accommodate gluten-free diners, Chef Swikard doesn’t use the classic bulgur in his recipe; instead he pulses blanched cauliflower until it’s the texture of couscous and uses that as the tabbouleh’s base. “We have a lot of gluten-free diners here, and I wanted to do something fresh with lots of textures,” he said.

Given how many diners at the restaurant are also vegetarian, Swikard features a steady cast of meat-free entrees such as Cappelletti di Quattro Formaggi with black trumpet mushrooms, hazelnuts and Broccolini; Organic Farrotto with wild mushrooms; and lemon ricotta cavatelli with a burnt walnut pesto and lemon zest. “I want to push the limits and make them feel like they are eating a three-star meal even though they are eating vegetarian,” he said.

Cauliflower Tabbouleh

Yield: 6 servings

2 heads cauliflower

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup onion, minced

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

1/4 cup dried barberries (or chopped golden raisins)

5 dried figs, finely chopped

5 dried apricots, finely chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 1/2 tablespoon za’atar spice

3 tablespoons parsley leaves, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped

Trim the florets from the cauliflower and discard the stalks and stems. Place florets in a food processer and pulse until finely minced and approximately the size of couscous.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat; add the garlic and onion, and saute until translucent. Add the cauliflower, then season with salt and pepper, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. The cauliflower should be just barely cooked.

Transfer contents to a large bowl and add the barberries, figs and apricots. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, remaining olive oil and za’atar. No more than one hour before serving, add the lemon dressing, parsley, cilantro and mint to the cauliflower, and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Pomegranate Walnut Tabbouleh

Yield: 6 servings

2 cups toasted pistachios, roughly chopped

2 cups toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

1 cup pomegranate seeds

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced

1 shallot, finely diced

3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1 teaspoon ground sumac

Salt

Combine the pistachios, walnuts, pomegranate seeds, jalapeno, shallot and herbs in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, Aleppo pepper and sumac, and season with salt to taste, no more than one hour before serving.

Andrea Strong is a freelance writer whose work has appeared everywhere from The New York Times to Edible Brooklyn. She’s probably best known as the creator of The Strong Buzz, her food blog about New York City restaurants. She lives in Queens with her two kids, her husband and her big appetite.

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