Elen makes big batches of this recipe during the summer months. It's a great way to use up lots of summer produce and to keep something light and refreshing in the fridge for snacking and light meals. She also finds that the herbs heighten in flavor as the days go by. Bonus! Elen sometimes makes this salad with half quinoa (pre cooked) and half bulgur. And she prefers Tabouli on the lemony side, but you can adjust the lemon flavor to your preference.
Ingredients:
2 cups cracked bulgur wheat
2 cups hot water
1 Tbl Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1 white onion, diced very fine
2 large bunches of parsley, chopped fine
3-4 cloves garlic, minced very fine
1c fresh mint leaves, chopped very fine
For the Vinaigrette:
Juice of 4 lemons
1/4 cup Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Approx 1/4 tsp salt
Approx 1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl, pour the hot water and 1 tablespoon Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the bulgur and soak for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle in the Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a slow steady stream while whisking. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Gently fold the vegetables into the bulgur. Add the vinaigrette a little at a time, folding after each addition until all the vinaigrette has been added. Refrigerate for at least on hour before serving.
This salad benefits from time in the refrigerator. I like mine very lemony...adjust lemon juice and salt to taste. Herbs marry well and taste better with each day. Cut all veggies and herbs super fine. I've also split the bulger with half quinoa...I found I needed to actually cook the quinoa first and that it did not last as many days in the fridge so needed to make smaller batches.
I think that's everything, enjoy - I live on this every summer...light and healthy and helps with my abundance of tomatoes and cucumbers