Scheherazade Casserole

Ingredients • 1 cup raw bulgur • 1 cup boiling water • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 2 cups minced onions • 3 garlic cloves, minced (feel free to use more) • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 2 teaspoons cumin • 1 1/2 teaspoons basil • black pepper • cayenne, to taste • 1 large bell pepper, diced • 3/4 cup dried soybeans, soaked (I used canned pintos) • 1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes, drained • 3 tablespoons tomato paste (1/2 of a small can) • 1/2 cup packed finely minced fresh parsley • 1 1/2-2 cups crumbled feta cheese • hot sauce Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9×13? baking pan. Place bulgur in a small bowl. Add boiling water, cover with a plate, and let stand at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onion, garlic, salt and seasonings. Stir occasionally as you saute over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Add bell pepper and saute about 5 minutes more. Drain soybeans, and place them in blender with 1 cup fresh water. Grind until soybeans resemble a coarse batter. Transfer to large bowl (you can just grind the canned beans). Add soaked bulgur and sauteed vegetables to the soybeans. Stir in tomatoes, breaking into bite-sized pieces. Add tomato paste, parsley and 1 cup of the feta. Mix well. Spread into the baking pan and sprinkle remaining feta on top. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375, then uncover and bake 15 minutes more at 350 degrees. Serve hot with a side vinaigrette salad. This delectable recipe will yield five portions but can be easily increased for a crowd. Feel free to experiment with other beans if they are more to your liking. You can also add a little heat by mixing in some fresh jalapeno or scotch bonnet into your pepper measurement.