Bulgur Custard Bake Recipes

BULGUR, SPINACH AND TOMATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur and salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, uncover and place a clean dish towel over the pan, then replace the lid. Allow to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes or longer. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide skillet or a shallow 3-quart saucepan and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes, sugar, salt to taste, and allspice or cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down to a fragrant sauce, about 20 minutes. Taste, adjust salt and add freshly ground pepper.
• Steam the spinach until it wilts, 1 to 2 minutes, rinse briefly with cold water and squeeze out excess water. Do this by the handful to get out all the water. Chop coarsely. Add to the bulgur. Add the mint and the chickpeas if using, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce and toss together.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Spread the bulgur mixture in the dish in an even layer. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle on the cheese. Drizzle on the last tablespoon of olive oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

HOW TO COOK BULGUR

Steps:

• Combine bulgur, 1 1/2 cups water, salt, and a drizzle of oil in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat until tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Use immediately, or spread on a rimmed baking sheet to let cool.

BAKED CUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt with wire whisk or fork. Gradually stir in milk. Pour into six 6-ounce custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Place cups in 13x9-inch pan on oven rack. Pour very hot water into pan to within 1/2 inch of tops of cups (see box, below).
• Bake about 45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Remove cups from water. Cool about 30 minutes. Unmold and serve warm, or refrigerate and unmold before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

BAKED BROWN SUGAR CUSTARDS

Steps:

• These gorgeous and very simple little desserts are somewhat like creme caramel or French 'flan'. The brown sugar adds a delicious, rich, toffee-ish flavor. You can even bake them in little espresso cups.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the brown sugar, and mix well.
• Place the milk, cream and orange zest, if using, into a saucepan and bring up to a simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and gradually pour into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking continuously. Pour the custard mixture through a sieve and into a large jug, and skim off any froth from the surface.
• Place the cups or ramekins in a baking dish, or wide shallow pan, and fill them up with the custard. Pour enough hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the cups or ramekins (known as a bain-marie) and cover with foil. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the custards are just set in the center.
• Remove the custards from the baking dish, and serve warm or allow to cool. Either way, sprinkle a little bit of extra brown sugar on top just before serving.
• These gorgeous and very simple little desserts are somewhat like creme caramel or French 'flan'. The brown sugar adds a delicious, rich, toffee-ish flavor. You can even bake them in little espresso cups.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the brown sugar, and mix well.
• Place the milk, cream and orange zest, if using, into a saucepan and bring up to a simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and gradually pour into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking continuously. Pour the custard mixture through a sieve and into a large jug, and skim off any froth from the surface.
• Place the cups or ramekins in a baking dish, or wide shallow pan, and fill them up with the custard. Pour enough hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the cups or ramekins (known as a bain-marie) and cover with foil. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the custards are just set in the center.
• Remove the custards from the baking dish, and serve warm or allow to cool. Either way, sprinkle a little bit of extra brown sugar on top just before serving.

BULGUR BREADS

Steps:

• You will need a medium-sized bowl, a food processor (optional), unglazed quarry tiles to fit on the bottom rack of your oven, and a rolling pin.
• Place the bulgur and salt in a food processor, pour the boiling water over, and stir or process briefly to mix. Let stand for thirty minutes. When you come back to the bulgur mixture, it will look like the bulgur has totally absorbed the water. However, proceed by adding 1 cup flour and the minced onion, and process for 1 minute. The dough should come together into a large ball as you process. If it doesn't, feel the dough: If it feels dry and floury, start the processor, add 2 tablespoons warm water and process for 30 seconds; again if the bulgur and flour still don't come together, add another 2 tablespoons water and process.
• Once a ball of dough forms, process for 2 to 3 minutes longer, then turn out onto a well-floured surface. (If your processor is too small to handle the whole dough, work with half at a time, adding 1/2 cup flour to each portion, then combine when you turn out of the processor and knead by hand). Knead by hand for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Alternatively, if you do not have a food processor, combine bulgur, salt and boiling water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Add onions and 1/2 cup flour and stir in. Add another 1/2 cup flour and use your hands to fold flour into the dough. With a little persistence, you will soon have a dough (although somewhat sticky) that you can knead. Turn out onto a well-floured kneading surface and knead for 6 or 7 minutes. Dough will be sticky at first, but will soon come together into a smooth workable dough; you may be surprised to discover how kneadable bulgur is.
• When finished kneading, cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand until you are ready to proceed further, for 15 minutes to an hour, whatever is convenient.
• To bake, have your oven preheated to 450 degrees with baking stone or quarry tiles in place on a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, and flatten each on a well-floured bread board. With a rolling pin, roll out one or two breads until very thin, about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Work with only one or two at a time, as many as will fit in your oven. When ready, handle the bread gently as you place it on the hot tiles. (You can also try dusting a peel or the back of a baking sheet with flour and using peel or sheet to transfer breads to hot tiles.) Bake on one side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes then turn over to the other side for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. The bread should begin to brown around the outside. When baked, keep breads warm by stacking them one on top of the other and wrapping them in a clean kitchen towel. Serve warm.

CARAMELIZED BAKED CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a saucepan, heat cream and liqueur until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until blended but not foamy. Slowly stir in hot cream mixture. Stir in vanilla., Place six 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Pour cream mixture into ramekins. Place pan on oven rack; add very hot water to pan to within 1/2 in. of tops of ramekins., Bake 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean; centers will still be soft. Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate until cold., To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Hold torch flame about 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour., To caramelize topping in a broiler, place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 5-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

BAKED CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine eggs, sugar, spices and vanilla. Blend in milk. Pour into a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Place baking dish in a cake pan in oven; add 1 in. water to pan. , Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near middle comes out clean.

BULGUR AND GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, soak bulgur in cold water for 15 to 30 minutes, or until soft. Set aside.
• meanwhile, heat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat from pan.
• Add onions to skillet and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain bulgur and add to meat mixture with cilantro, dill weed, salt, pepper, chipped tomatoes, vegetable juice and lemon juice. Stir gently.
• Place mixture in a 10 x 10 x 2 inch baking dish or oven proof casserole dish.
• Bake at 350 uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated thoroughly.

BULGUR-RAISIN CUSTARD

Steps:

• Combine bulgur, milk, and salt in saucepan and let stand for 1 hour or longer. Beat egg yolks lightly stir in raisins, honey, and spices. Combine with bulgur mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into bulgur mixture. Turn into a greased 8-inch square baking dish and cover with foil set in pan of hot water. Bring water in pan to boil on top of stove then place in a preheated 325° F oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 30 minutes longer or until the custard formed on top is firm.