Tabouli

aka, what to do with leftover parsley. Most of the Middle-Eastern recipes I have already posted that call for cilantro also call for chopped parsley. It was my choice to omit the herb and go for the stronger taste of cilantro. Tabouli (or tabbouleh), is all about the parsley. It is quite nutritious and gives a great crunch, even after sitting a day. Then there's the breath-freshening quality. Just don't get Italian, flat-leafed parsley. Go for the curly stuff.

The bulgur was harder to find than I expected. Even Henry's only had whole bulgur wheat kernels, not the cracked kind you need for this salad. I finally went to a Middle-Eastern store. Sadaf makes at least four grades of cracked bulgur. I chose #2, the next-to-finest. The finer grades do not need to be cooked, just soaked.

1 bunch parsley

2/3 C medium or fine bulgur

water

1/2 C minced green onions

1 C diced fresh tomatoes

1 small cucumber

2 Tb olive oil

2 Tb lemon juice

1/4 tsp dill weed

1/4 tsp salt

1. In a small bowl, combine bulgur and enough water just to cover, about 1/2 C. Set aside until water is absorbed, about 1 hour.

2. Chop parsley very fine. Peel cucumber and dice about the same size as the tomatoes. In a medium bowl, combine parsley, tomatoes, onions, and cucumber.

3. When bulgur is ready, separate with a fork and fold into vegetables.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, dil, and salt. Add dressing to salad and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 6

Difficulty rating  π