Tabbouleh

Nominated for a 2011 James Beard Cookbook Award in the General Cooking category. For a list of all the finalists check out our James Beard Finalists' Guide.  

Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer

A properly made tabbouleh is really a parsley salad with a little bulgur wheat, not the other way around, as most Americans know it.

• 3/4 cup bulgur wheat
  Salt and pepper
  Juice of 2 lemons, or to taste
  4 scallions, finely minced
  1/2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
  1/4 cup olive oil, or to taste
  3 cups parsley leaves,
  coarsely chopped
  1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

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Dump the grains in a colander and give it a good shake to drain. Put a clean dish towel in a salad bowl and gather up the drained bulgur to further dry it. Gently remove the towel, put the bulgur in a bowl, and begin to assemble the tabbouleh: Season the grains generously with salt and pepper, then stir in the lemon juice and toss well. Add the scallions and mint and toss. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the oil, and then taste and adjust the seasoning. Add half the parsley and mix well.

Spoon the tabbouleh onto a platter, and sprinkle the rest of the parsley over the top. Put the cherry tomatoes in a little bowl, season them with salt and pepper and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and spoon them over the top of the salad.

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