Tabbouli, Tabbouleh, Tabouli, Taboule?

There are many ways to spell Tabbouleh and equally as many ways to make it. It starts with Parsley. I prefer Italian flat leaf; it has a milder taste. But just a bit of curly will add an extra bite. Making Tabbouleh is like making a pot of vegetable soup in the Winter. It’s a fresh, summery way to get lots of veggies into one dish. You can serve it with grilled chicken or fish. My favorite is in the morning with scrambled eggs.
Last week I made my Tabbouleh with orzo and yellow peppers. But here is the basic recipe:

Flat leaf Parsley
Mint
Red onion
Tomatoes
Bulgur wheat
Olive oil
Lemon juice

Dice everything as finely as you like. Sometimes I use the food processor for the onions and parsley.

Don’t be intimidated by Bulgur wheat. It’s easier to make than rice! Just pour very hot, almost boiling water over 1 cup of Bulgur and let it stand for 30 minutes. If there is any water left just put it through a strainer. Need a Gluten-Free version? Just substitute the Bulgur with Quinoa or Rice. Get creative and add Tuna for a terrific lunch! Dice a cucumber for some added crunch! In traditional Tabbouleh Parsley plays the biggest role. But you can experiment with the proportions. The legend surrounding this Middle Eastern dish is that Cleopatra demanded a salad that could compete with Caesar’s famous Romaine, anchovy, egg, parmesan version. Her cook came up with Tabbouleh and the Queen was quite pleased!