Spicy Bulgur and Collard Green Rolls

Do you like cabbage rolls? Stuffed grape leaves? If so, try this unique variation on a theme, inspired by Fresh Juice Magazine's recipe called Red and Green Roll-Ups. As usual, I looked at the recipe for inspiration and then did my own thing.

I've tried cooking with bulgur before, but the results haven't been anything to write about. Without a real infusion of spice, it can turn out rather bland. But this recipe has plenty of flavour...frying the spices in oil releases the heat.

What's Bulgur? Bulgur is wheat berries (whole, unprocessed wheat kernels) that are partially hulled, steamed, then cracked and dried. Only the outer layer of grain is removed, so it's considered a whole grain. There are 2 kinds of bulgur - one is made from soft white wheat berries and has a milder flavour. The kind I used for this recipe is called brown bulgur which is made from hard red winter wheat berries and has a mild, nutty, earthy taste.

Spicy Bulgur and Collard Green Rolls

1 onion
1/2  red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves
3/4 teaspoon of paprika (I used the grocery store variety, which is most like Hungarian sweet paprika, but this would also be good with hot smoked Spanish paprika if you've got it)
1/4 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, coriander and salt
1 1/2 cups of bulgur
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large bunch of collard greens - at least 12 large leaves
2 cups passata (tomato puree)

Equipment needed: large skillet with lid, 9x9 inch baking dish, large pot

Finely chop onions, red bell pepper and garlic. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add onions and red bell pepper and cook until soft. Move onions and peppers off to the side, add another tablespoon of olive oil and cook garlic and all the spices in oil for about 2-3 minutes. Stir often and be careful not to burn.  Add the bulgur and mix everything in the pan together. Cook for another minute or so stirring constantly, allowing the bulgur to toast lightly. Add the 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups of water. Turn heat to low, give it a final stir, and cover. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed and bulgur is soft.

Meanwhile, bring water to boil in a large pot. Blanche collard greens for about 2-3 minutes in boiling water. Then remove them with tongs onto paper towels to cool.

Grease the baking dish with a little olive oil. Lay collard greens on a cutting board or other flat surface. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the bulgar filling onto each leaf, rolling them up like little burritos, about 3 inches long, 1 inch in diameter. Put rolls in the dish, making 2 rows, 1 layer.

At this point, feel free to cover and refrigerate the rolls for a day or two and save the final steps for a no-fuss weeknight meal. That's what I did. This recipe was made up to here on the weekend. And tonight, I finished it up when I got home from work.

The final step is to pour 2 cups of passata over the rolls and heat in the oven at 350 degrees celcius for about 40 minutes. You can substitute a more complicated tomato or pasta sauce if you like, but I like the simplicity of the passata, which is nothing but pureed tomatoes. I think it allows the spicy flavour of the bulgur mixture to come through.