SUSA FAMILY TABOULI

Tabouli is a classic Middle Eastern salad featuring cracked bulgur wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil and fresh herbs. It’s traditionally flavored with lots of parsley and a generous

squeeze or two of lemon, but in this recipe, the emphasis is on fresh cucumber and tomato.

You can find bulgur in many larger grocery stores, as well as in the bulk bins at Whole Foods. It also is readily available at Middle Eastern markets such as Salim’s in the Strip District and Pitaland in Brookline. If you’re in a hurry, you can cook the bulgur on the stovetop

2 cups medium uncooked bulgur wheat

2 tomatoes finely chopped

1 English cucumber (skinned) finely chopped

1 bunch green onions sliced thin

5 sprigs of parsley (no stems)

2 sprigs of mint ( no stems)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste Put bulgur wheat in a medium sized glass bowl. Cover with cold water until it comes to the top of the wheat. Let it soak until all of the water is absorbed. Then stir and place into a larger bowl.

Finely chop the tomatoes with all of their juice and add to the bulgur wheat.

Finely chop cucumber and thinly slice green onions and add to the bowl.

Take the parsley and mint and roll together, then very finely chop and add to mixture. Drizzle the olive oil to coat the mixture. Season

with salt and pepper for flavor. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Toss before serving. You will want to check the seasoning, and adjust if necessary with salt, pepper and oil.

Serves 6-8.