summer food: tabbouleh

It's really summertime when tabbouleh hits the menu. There are million ways to make it; we like ours heavy on the veggies, medium on the herbs, and light on the bulgur. Bulgur is wheat that's been cooked, dried, and crushed; all you have to do is reconstitute it -- in this case, with lemon juice.

I was so giddy that all the green stuff (except the cucumber) came from our garden (eep!). We had this with grilled sausages and some buttered green beans for dinner. It is so crunchy and refreshing. Last year the girls hated it, but this time they gobbled it up -- Maren had 3 helpings!

Tabbouleh
adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1/2 c bulgur wheat, rinsed and drained
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 to 1/3 c olive oil
salt, to taste
1-2 c minced fresh parsley (cilantro is a nice supplement)
2 medium tomatoes, diced, or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
4 medium scallions, sliced
2 T minced fresh mint leaves

Combine the bulgur and lemon juice in a medium bowl. If you're using a fresh lemon, dump in the pulp leftover from juicing (yum). Set aside until bulgur grains are tender, 20-40 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.