Tabbouleh and Memories

Last week Ina (the Barefoot Contessa) was making a tabbouleh salad and it immediately stirred up memories of an old friend and the foods we shared during our summer vacations.

It's so funny how music and food stirs up emotions and brings back memories.

Hopefully, most of them are wonderful as Ina's tabbouleh recipe brought back the wonderful memories of summer vacations I spent with my young family and friends way back in the '80's.

My friend, Karen, was of Syrian decent and both she and I loved making favorite comfort foods from our childhood. We would then share them during our weekly dinners together. Oh the fun we had sharing our stories and enjoying the food.

One of my favorite dishes Karen made was tabbouleh. I liked it immediately as I've always enjoyed fresh salads. The mint added to the salad was a new combination for me back then but I loved it with the tomatoes and cucumbers.

I haven't had tabbouleh in recent years so when I saw Ina making it I thought this would be a perfect summer salad to introduce to my burger and hot dog crowd :).

Why do I luv this recipe? -- it's easy -- uses our fresh garden ingredients -- and it's definitely flexible. I'm sharing Karen's tabbouleh recipe as I remember it with strong flavors of parsley and mint and the bulger wheat as a side-kick with the cucumbers. But you can substitute more or less of any of the ingredients you and your family will enjoy.

Oh, and it's definitely for all your vegan and vegetarian family and friends. Bulger wheat is NOT gluten free, but I've used quinoa for this salad and it's just as good.

Karen's Tabbouleh Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cooked bulger wheat
• 4 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup seeded & cubed English cucumber
• 3 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2-3 TBLS. chopped fresh mint
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 3 TBLS. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare the bulger wheat according to the directions on the package and set aside 1/2 cup for the salad.
2. Cut up the vegetables and chop the parsley and mint and add to a medium sized bowl.
3. Stir in the chilled bulger wheat and then add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Taste as you stir in the lemon and oil so that it's suited to your tastes.
4. Serve chilled. Makes 3-4 1 cup servings.

Of course this recipe can be doubled just by increasing the ingredients. Taste as you go when adding the lemon and olive oil so that you have the perfect blend of flavors.

We've been enjoying this cold salad along side our bbq'd burgers and hot dogs. It's lighter than a pasta or potato salad especially when its 90 degrees in the shade.

Mangia!
Winelady Cooks


I've shared this with:

Hearth and Soul Hop
Turning the Table Thursday
It's A Keeper Thursday