Tabbouleh, the Parsley-Forward Way

Most American versions are a grain salad with green flecks. The original is the reverse: mounds of parsley bound by a spoonful of bulgur, with mint as a supporting note.

Why the parsley matters here. This is the clearest demonstration on the site of parsley as a vegetable. Six cups of it, dressed with nothing but lemon and oil — no other herb is eaten in that volume.

Home kitchen · 4 to 6 servings

• 6 cups Flat-leaf parsley, very finely chopped by hand
• 1/2 cup Fine bulgur wheat
• 1 cup Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 lb Ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
• 2 Cucumbers, seeded and finely diced
• 1 small Red onion, minced
• 4 Lemons, juiced
• 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
• to taste Sea salt, black pepper, allspice

Herb quantities are given in loose cups, not weight — a cup should look like too much before you chop it.

Method

1. 1 Soak the bulgur in the juice of two lemons for 20 minutes — no water. It softens and takes the acid on board.
2. 2 Wash the parsley whole, dry it completely in a spinner and a towel, then chop it fine with a very sharp knife.
3. 3 Salt the diced tomato and let it drain 10 minutes so the salad doesn't flood.
4. 4 Combine everything with the remaining lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and a pinch of allspice.
5. 5 Rest 15 minutes before serving so the bulgur finishes softening in the dressing. Serve with romaine leaves as scoops.