Lemon Tabouli

Mostly parsley with a little bit of quinoa. While traditional tabouli does not contain cucumber, I like the crispness it brings to the dish.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 cup cooked quinoa
4 bunches flat-leaf parsley (or sub curly parsley), chopped fine (7–8 cups, or 10–11 ounces chopped) tender stems.
1 cup mint leaves, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, diced small (3 cups)
1–2 cucumbers, diced (optional)
4 scallions, sliced (or 1 cup red or white onion – finely diced)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice, more to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Prepare quinoa. 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water

Chop the parsley as finely as you can, and some thin stems are ok to include. Place in a large bowl. You’ll need about 7 cups chopped or 10 ounces. Chop the mint and optional dill. Dice the tomatoes finely, place in the bowl along with all their juices. Chop the cucumber and onion and place in the bowl.

Add the quinoa. Toss all to mix well. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and 1 teaspoon 7-spice. Give a good stir.

Place in the fridge for 1-3 hours and allow the flavors to meld. The parsley will soften and lose any bitterness, and the quinoa will soak up the flavourful juices, swelling.

Before serving, give a stir and taste for salt and lemon. Adjust both to your liking, along with the spices. You want just the faintest whiff of the spices, like a whisper.

Enjoy with pita, hummus, bab ganoush and falafels. 

• 1 cup bulgur
• 2 cup diced cucumber (2 small-to-medium)
• 2 cup diced tomato* (2 large)
• 2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 6 medium bunches curly parsley
• ⅔ cup (1 ⅓ ounce) chopped fresh mint (optional but recommended—you can chop it in the food processor with the parsley)
• ⅔ cup thinly sliced green onion
• ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 to 8 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
• 2 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced

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