No, not vulgar. You know I didn't just say vulgar wheat. You've heard the word before, in this song, specifically. Go ahead and turn it on and listen for it while you read.
So, remember that time I convinced you to get or make preserved lemon for this pappardelle pasta that you loved? By now you're going to probably need to get more preserved lemons, but it's fine, you'll want them for this.
Since it's summertime and the mere act of going outside can make you break a sweat, chilled salads are the name of the lunch and dinner game. I especially enjoy chilled salads at lunch because in my office, that means not jockeying for space in one of the microwaves. Anytime I can avoid going into the microwave room is a win. Tabbouleh, also sometimes spelled tabouli, is a grain salad that features tomatoes, cucumbers, and lemon, plus a bouquet of herbs (Typing that out, I realized I totally forgot to add the herbs in this version and it was still super tasty so, there's that, oops).
Preserved Lemon Tabbouleh with Bulgur
Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 2 cups water
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cucumber diced
- ½ preserved lemon
- 5 scallions chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp any or a combination of: mint, oregano, basil, parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Put the bulgur, water, and a shake of salt in a pan and bring to a boil.
- Once the bulgur boils, lower heat to low and cover pan for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes, dice the cucumbers, and chop the scallions and herbs. Cut away the flesh of the lemon and discard. Finely chop the peel. Mix the oil and lemon juice together in a small jar that can be shaken.
- Once the bulgur is done, let it cool slightly.
- Mix the vegetables, scallions, herbs, preserved lemon and bulgur in a large mixing bowl. Shake up the oil and lemon juice until emulsified. Pour lemon-oil mixture over the salad and stir to distribute.
- Salt and pepper to taste and serve warm or cold.
I usually make my tabbouleh with Israeli couscous but this version offers a different feel that's more traditional. Bulgur is a whole wheat, which is awesome. I don't always like the taste and mouthfeel of whole grain things but this one actually does taste good. Bulgur also has lots of fiber, folate, and magnesium, all things that I like to get in my diet but don't often think about purposely ingesting, so score.