Parsley-Forward Tabbouleh with Soaked Bulgur

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A Levantine-style tabbouleh that treats bulgur as a seasoning rather than a base: three big bunches of flat-leaf parsley, a handful of mint, and just enough fine bulgur soaked cold in lemon juice and tomato liquid so it stays springy instead of mushy. No cooking at all, and it tastes brighter the second the salt hits.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fine (#1) bulgur wheat
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, for soaking
• 1/4 cup cold water

• 3 large bunches flat-leaf parsley (about 10 oz / 8 packed cups leaves)
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
• 1 lb ripe plum or vine tomatoes
• 4 scallions, white and green parts
• 1/2 small English cucumber (optional)

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice (optional)
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional)

• romaine or Little Gem leaves, for scooping
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Halve the tomatoes crosswise and scoop the seeds and juice into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl; press gently with a spoon to collect about 1/4 cup of tomato liquid. Reserve the liquid and discard the seeds.
2. Put the bulgur in a small bowl and add the reserved tomato liquid, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/4 cup cold water — the grain should be just submerged. Cover and let it soak at room temperature for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and chewy with no hard center. Do not boil it and do not drain it; the bulgur should absorb nearly all the liquid.
3. Meanwhile, wash the parsley in a big bowl of cold water, swishing to release grit, then spin it very dry in a salad spinner or roll it in a clean kitchen towel. Wet parsley waters down the salad. Pull the leaves and tender top stems from the thick stems.
4. Gather the parsley into tight bundles on a cutting board and slice with a sharp knife into fine ribbons, then chop once or twice more — you want fine, but not bruised to a paste. Never use a food processor. Do the same with the mint leaves. You should have roughly 5 to 6 cups chopped parsley and 1/2 cup chopped mint.
5. Cut the seeded tomatoes into 1/4-inch dice. Thinly slice the scallions. If using cucumber, peel, seed, and cut into 1/4-inch dice.
6. In a large wide bowl, combine the chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, scallions, and cucumber. Add the soaked bulgur, breaking up any clumps with your fingers.
7. Whisk together the 1/4 cup lemon juice, olive oil, 1 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, and the allspice and cinnamon if using. Pour over the salad and toss thoroughly with your hands or two large spoons, lifting from the bottom, for a full 30 seconds so every leaf is coated.
8. Let the tabbouleh sit 15 minutes at room temperature, then taste and correct: it should be assertively lemony and clearly salted. Add more lemon juice or salt a little at a time. Serve at cool room temperature with romaine leaves for scooping and lemon wedges alongside.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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