Have you ever had Tabbouleh? No, I’m not talking about a grain salad demurely flecked with parsley, that tastes mostly of bulgur or couscous or quinoa or whatever grain someone needed to use up. I’m talking about a salad that is almost all green, grains used sparingly to bulk out the delicious herbs that provide most of the volume and flavor.
But it’s not just parsley and mint that provide the wonderful summer taste of tabbouleh -- there should be some spices that bring warmth to the green flavor of the herbs as well. Add some finely diced tomatoes for extra summery flavor, some shallots for onion-y sharpness, and the time-tested combination of lemon, olive oil, and salt and pepper, and you have the perfect summer salad, one that holds up to refrigeration and transportation admirably.
This recipe calls for fine bulgur, the smallest size of a variety of cracked wheat. If you can’t find the fine size, feel free to use medium, or couscous, or quinoa, if that’s what you can get. The important thing here is the ratio of herbs to grains. And the spices, of course.
Tabbouleh Spice Blend:
Serves 4-6. Adapted from Jerusalem.
Have you ever heard of sumac? If you live in the American South, you may think of it as a weed. But hopefully after making this recipe, you will now think of it as a delicious weed.
There’s a small restaurant chain in Los Angeles called Zankou Chicken that is well known for its super secret chicken shawarma recipe, which is crispy and juicy and beautifully spiced and comes with a crazy-good garlic sauce that will make your breath reek for at least the next few hours if not days.
Hummus isn't the only bean-based dip that's easy to make at home -- this red-lentil based spread is a vegetarian version of kibbe, a Lebanese dish that takes many forms, but always involves bulgur wheat and a mix of delicious spices.
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This soup falls into the category of “Total Classic” and deservedly so. The silky bean and vegetable soup and the woody aroma of rosemary make for perfect complements to each other, the starch of the beans standing up to rosemary’s strong flavor, and the flavor of the rosemary bringing out depths of flavor in the beans that otherwise might remain hidden.
A Chesapeake Bay spin on the classic Cobb Salad, featuring smoked trout and a Vanns Chesapeake Bay Seafood Seasoning spiked ranch dressing.