Bulgur, which is precooked cracked wheat (see page 525), needs only to be reconstituted to be ready to eat. Usually this is done with water or stock, but here freshly made tomato juice is the liquid. (I had no idea what I was tasting when I first had this, but fortunately it was explained to me so I could experiment.) The nuts add a welcome crunchiness to this wonderful salad.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 medium tomatoes, cored (canned are fine)

　　1/2 cup fine (#1) or medium (#2) bulgur

　　2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

　　3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 teaspoon pure chile powder, like ancho or New Mexico, or hot red pepper flakes, plus more to taste

　　1 small red or white onion, diced

　　1/3 cup shelled pistachios or chopped walnuts

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish, optional

　　

Step 1

Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor; strain. Mix the bulgur with the tomato juice and lemon juice and set aside for about an hour or until the grains are tender.

　　

Step 2

Toss the bulgur mixture with the remaining ingredients except the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve, garnished with parsley if you like, or let stand for up to a couple of hours before garnishing and serving.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.