Zucchini with apricots, feta and pomegranate on bulgur

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 500 g zucchini
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 m.-large Pepper, red
• 100 g dried apricots, unsulphured
• 180 g feta cheese, made from sheep’s milk
• 60 g pomegranate seeds, frozen or fresh
• 50 g apricot jam
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• ¾ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp mint, dried
• ½ organic lemon(s), juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• n. B. Salt
• 150 g bulgur
• 300 ml vegetable stock
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• lemon zest

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes

Place the dried apricots in a small bowl, pour water over them, and let them soak for at least 1 hour. Then dice the apricots. Wash the zucchini and remove the stems and blossoms. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise and cut into thick slices. Peel the garlic and press or finely chop. Wash the chili peppers, remove the stems, split the pod lengthwise with a sharp knife, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Then cut the chili peppers into thin rings. Thaw frozen pomegranate seeds or remove the corresponding amount from fresh pomegranates. Dice the feta cheese. Wash the lemon in hot water. Toast the sesame seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds in a non-stick pan for a few minutes until they begin to smell. Let the seeds cool slightly, then grind them in a mortar and pestle. Rinse the bulgur in a sieve under running water to remove some of its starch. In a saucepan, combine the turmeric powder and vegetable stock and add the bulgur. Bring everything to a boil, then simmer covered over low heat according to the package instructions until the liquid has been absorbed. Regular bulgur takes about 15 minutes; instant bulgur cooks faster. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the apricots and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Then add the zucchini and peppers and cook for another 6 minutes. Meanwhile, zest the lemon. Add the zest to the bulgur. Squeeze the lemon into a small bowl. Add the apricot jam, ground seeds, and mint, and stir everything together. Pour the mixture into the cooked zucchini, stir everything together, and heat briefly again. Finally, season the vegetables with a little salt. Add the olive oil to the cooked bulgur and fluff everything up with a fork. When serving, arrange the vegetables in the center of the bulgur and sprinkle the feta cheese and pomegranate seeds on top. Tips: When adding salt, keep in mind that feta cheese is just as salty. Unsulfured dried apricots may be darker and not as appealing in color as sulfured apricots, but they are more aromatic. If you want it spicier, leave the seeds in the peppers. If you’re in a hurry, you can also use a harissa paste, which you mix with jam, lemon juice, and mint. Then use less fresh garlic and omit the peppers, coriander, and cumin seeds, as all these ingredients are already in the paste. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the dish to finish.