Vegetable Bulgar (or Couscous) with Moroccan Pesto

I've never done Moroccan fare before. But man, was I glad I tried it today when the browned butter, onion, and cinnamon started cooking together. I'm usually hesitant to use "traditionally" sweet flavors in a savory dish. I'm not usually a big fan of the mixture. But I'm learning more and more that it's not a hard and fast rule for me. There are definitely some combinations of sweet and savory that I really like and am glad that I'm starting to try more.

I've also never used bulgar, but since the original recipe called for couscous, and I just read in the most recent Cooking Light Magazine that bulgar packs more of a fiber punch and is a good substitution for couscous, I thought I'd try it in this recipe. It's hearty and really tasty! And now that I have a big package of it in my refrigerator, I'm sure I'll be using it for often.

The original recipe calls for zucchini and/or Swiss chard. I was planning on putting in both, but the Swiss chard looked kind of sad this week, so I just went with zucchini. I think this dish would have done well with spinach as a substitute for the chard though, so that could easily be wilted in at the end.

This is definitely more of a heated cooking experience than some of the other more summery meals that I've been making lately, but it's worth the little bit of extra heat in the kitchen. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, this is it!

Edited to add: I'm currently eating a full bowl (instead of just a taste, like I had earlier)... Watch the amount of salt you add. Each layer of flavor has some salt, and I know I didn't measure every bit I added. I'm right on the edge of having a little too much salt, so try to avoid eyeballing.

Edited to add again: I used couscous this last time I made it (which is what is pictured below), and I measured the salt this time around rather than eye-balling it... It made a lot of difference! It was much less salty. And it may have been even tastier with the couscous. I also used Swiss chard instead of zucchini, and I think I liked it better that way too.

Vegetable Bulgar (or Couscous) with Moroccan Pesto
A variation on this recipe from Food Network Magazine



Pesto:
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 tablespoons whole almonds
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Bulgar/Couscous:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 cinnamon stick
1 14-ounce can peeled tomatoes, halved
2 small carrots, cut into chunks
1 zucchini and/or 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
1/3 cup raisins
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups bulgar (or couscous)

Make the pesto: Combine the cilantro, parsley leaves, almonds and garlic in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; process until smooth.

Prepare the vegetables for the couscous: Heat a wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the butter begins to brown. Add the onion and cinnamon stick to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, carrots, zucchini and/or Swiss chard, raisins, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon.

Meanwhile, cook the bulgar as the label directs. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, season with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork. Top the bulgar with the vegetables and pesto.