7 hours Ago By Ellen Jenne
I know the internet is full of misinformation and untruths but when someone told me this is the very salad Jennifer Aniston ate on the set of Friends in the 1990s and early noughties every day, I believed them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched the sitcom from start to finish, the number is just too great (that’s what happens when E4 is in control of endless reruns). And on the legendary show, although Monica is the chef and Joey the one famous for his love of food, Jennifer Aniston (who played Rachel) has continued to be a lifestyle figure and influencer long after her early days on screen.
And one of the former faces of the ‘clean eating’ craze - Ella Woodward - claimed that Jennifer ate one particular salad every day on set. Just this once, I’ll lend Ella my ear. Packed full of various textures and flavours, the salad has made a mark on the TikTok generation.
You’ll find bulgur wheat, pickled red onions, chickpeas, a tangy and zesty dressing and pistachios all served on a platter. The salad screams “al fresco summer dining” - preferably with an Aperol Spritz or gin and tonic in hand. Personally, I like my salads with either a slither of dairy or proper protein but, in the name of journalism, I’ll go with Jennifer’s taste buds.
Hopefully they’re better than Rachel’s quizzing knowledge. Ella’s take on the salad recipe is incredibly easy to follow and, with most of the ingredients already in your cupboard and fridge, it's the perfect dish if you’re after minimal fuss. There’s so much in terms of flavour zinging from all different directions.
It also works as a great canvas for adding your own style and colour to it. A few cherry tomatoes or feta wouldn’t go amiss. I'd also recommend using fresh lemons instead of bottled lemon juice, the tang will be a bit muted otherwise.
I don’t know if I’d want to be eating this on a freezing cold day in New York City but to get me in the mood for summer I’d be happy, especially if it was while sitting on a rooftop overlooking the sunset in the Big Apple — sounds like a dream, right? Thart said, this salad appears more LA than NYC, which is arguably linked more with hot dogs, steak and pasta than it is salads and clean living. Either way, I don’t blame Jennifer Aniston for wolfing this salad down; it’s a delicious pick me up to enjoy this summer. Ingredients 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced 1⁄2 lemon, juiced 125g bulgur wheat 1⁄2 cucumber 240g canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed 2 small handfuls pistachios, roughly chopped 1 small handful of mint leaves, finely sliced For the dressing 2 tbsp tahini 1⁄2 lemons, juiced 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp maple syrup 2 tablespoons boiling water Sea salt Method Place the finely sliced red onion in a small bowl, pour over the juice of half a lemon and toss to coat.
Set aside, leaving the onions to macerate while you make the rest of the salad. It is important to do this part first as the longer the onions sit in acid, the less acrid their bite and the brighter pink they will be. Bring 400ml cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan and add a pinch of salt.
Add the bulgur and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and spread out onto a large plate to prevent overcooking. Set aside to cool.
For the dressing, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and then slowly stream in the boiling water until you have a smooth, pourable dressing. Cut the cucumber in half and scrape out the seeds using a spoon and discard. Thinly slice the cucumber.
To assemble the salad place several spoonfuls of bulgur into the centre of serving bowls, arrange the cucumber, chickpeas, mint, pickled pinks and pistachios around it. Drizzle generously with dressing and toss to combine. Add salt to taste.
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