2 tabboulehs for britney

i am not cooking this today but britneys request for this reminded me that i hadn't made it in a while. tabbouleh really is one of my fave summer salads. i especially love it mixed with hummus and wrapped in a curry tortilla or naan. i fell in love with it when i worked at real food daily in college. there they wrapped it up in a square shape then cut it on the bias and called it "love triangles" - i never forgot that dish and usually make my own version of it off the whole foods salad bar. when i make tabbouleh though its usually as some part of a summer bbq with tandoori chicken, grilled veggies and some sort of hummus.
i like traditional tabbouleh which is much heavier on the herbs than on the bulghur but because the americanized version tends towards a higher proportion of bulghur, i decided to publish two recipes. both are great.

#1 traditional tabbouleh

makes about 1 quart

1/2	cup bulgur , fine or medium grain, rinsed under running water and drained
1/3	cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
1/3	cup olive oil
	Table salt
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
2	cups minced fresh parsley leaves
2	medium tomatoes , halved, seeded, and cut into very small dice
4	medium scallions , green and white parts, minced
2	tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves (or 1 rounded teaspoon dried mint)

1. Mix bulgur wheat with 1/4 cup of the lemon juice in medium bowl; set aside until grains are tender and fluffy, 20 to 40 minutes,depending on age and type of bulgur.

2. Mix remaining lemon juice, olive oil, salt to taste and red pepper, if desired. Mix bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, scallions, and mint; add dressing and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate to let flavors blend, 1 to 2 hours. Serve.

#2 tabbouleh (more american style)

2 cups bulgur (cracked wheat)

1 large bunch parsley
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves
4 green onions
3/4 pound tomatoes, seeded, chopped
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Place bulgur in large bowl. Pour enough warm water over to cover generously. Let stand until bulgur softens, about 15 minutes. Drain well, pressing out excess water. Return bulgur to same large bowl.

Meanwhile, finely chop parsley, mint and green onions in processor. Add bulgur. Mix in tomatoes, then lemon juice, oil and cumin. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)