tabbouleh

(by laci scott)

yesterday, i thought i was going to spontaneously combust. today was even worse. it is hotter than the fifth circle of hell here. i think this afternoon we topped out somewhere around 110 degrees.

i'm tired of being hot. i'm even more weary of the ever-persistent 30 mph winds. it hasn't rained since october. i'm bored of complaining. i have a headache. i am cussing miserable.

did i mention the air conditioner went out in my car?

the cumulative effect of all of this is that eating is a burden. it totally gets in the way of my whining and my lethargy. problem is, i have the appetite of a seventeen year old boy. i am hungry all. the. time. so it's watermelon and cantaloupe, and coleslaw, and grain salads around here. i am NOT turning on the blamed oven.

this tabbouleh recipe is my favorite. it's SUPER lemony. 

tabbouleh
(adapted from the barefoot contessa)


Ingredients

1 cup bulghur wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons) + the zest
a good drizzle of olive oil
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup (or so) fresh mint
2 bunches flat leaf italian parsley
5 green onions, white and green parts
as many cherry tomatoes as looks good to you - halved or quartered, depending on their size
a few good grinds of black pepper
about 3 oz good feta cheese

(many people also put cucumbers in here, but i think they're super yuck, so my tabbouleh remains cuke-free)

place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. give it a stir, then let it sit, covered, for about an hour.

combine green onions, mint, parsley, tomatoes, feta, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. add as much of the bulghur as looks good to you. season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. it's better if it sits for a bit.