Pilafi with Tenderstem^® broccoli, sour cherries and pistachios

by Georgina Hayden

Take an adventure to Cyprus with Tenderstem^® broccoli by creating this simple yet delicious pilafi, created by Georgina Hayden, author of Stirring Slowly and Taverna.

Georgina said: “Pilafi is a classic side dish in Cyprus, and can often be found featuring in mezes, alongside Sunday roasts and even accompanying kebabs. You’ll find lots of variations, sometimes with smashed up fried vermicelli through it, but often simply cooked in tomato and not much else. Here I have embellished it with Tenderstem^® broccoli, dried fruits and nuts, making it more into a stand-alone meal. It can happily be eaten by itself with a dollop of Greek yoghurt on the side, or alternatively as part of a larger spread.”

Preparation time

10 minutes

Cooking time

30 minutes

Serves

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
200g bulgur wheat
800ml vegetable stock
1 cinnamon stick
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
300g Tenderstem^® broccoli
100g dried sour cherries
1 lemon
½ bunch mint, leaves picked
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
40g pistachios, chopped
Greek yoghurt, to serve

Method

Place a large saucepan on a medium-low heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and onions and sauté for 12-15 minutes until softened and lightly golden. When they are ready, stir in the tomato puree followed by the bulgur wheat and add the stock and the cinnamon stick.
Season generously, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. As soon as it’s boiling, turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes.
Halfway through cooking, stir the cherries into the pan and place the Tenderstem^® broccoli on top.
When the bulgur wheat is tender remove from the heat, remove the lid and cover with a tea towel and leave to one side for 20 minutes. When the pilafi has cooled slightly, squeeze in the lemon juice and run a fork through it to fluff it up. Roughly chop the herbs and stir through.
Spoon onto a serving platter, scatter with the pistachios before serving and serve with a tub of Greek yoghurt on the side.