Beluga Tabouli

One of my favorite salads is tabouli- a bright, clean-tasting Middle Eastern dish traditionally made with bulgur wheat, fresh parsley, tomatoes, lemon juice, and olive oil. I'll eat it any way; with crackers, on top of greens, or on its own. It keeps for a few days, but it's best at room temperature the day it's made.

The first time I made it, I used short-grain brown rice instead of wheat. Still a winner! That classic flavor was there, with a different texture. I love the recipe out of Food to Live By, an amazing cookbook I've used to make many tasty things. Now, I would never make this for a Lebanese house guest... as I'm sure one would shudder at my grossly adapted version of the traditional salad. But it works for me!

The last time my mom visited, she brought me a new food to try... beluga lentils! Teeny tiny petite black lentils! So cute. The warm sunshine and free weekend called me to make Belugalinsen Tabouli.

My recipe was loosely based on Myra's. Check it out!

Beluga Tabouli
2 cups cooked beluga lentils (or bulgur, or short-grain brown rice, or cous cous, or wheat berries, or rye berries, etc!)
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons
2 tbsp fresh mint, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced (Disclaimer... I had to use gross tomatoes from the store this time. I can't wait for the good stuff to start growing up here! Soon I hope!)
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced, including white and 2 inches of the green
1 cup fresh shelled peas, or diced English cucumber (optional)
Combine above ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine following ingredients in a small bowl, and add to above ingredients.
1/4 cup olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper.

Fresh, bright, high-protein, non-authentic tabouli!

Keeps for a few days in the fridge. And it sure is a welcome change to boring lettuce for lunch.

Enjoy!