The other day Mom mentioned that we have a lot of mint growing around the house, so I searched for recipes using mint and came across a good one for tabouli. When I lived in Houston, I had great access to Middle Eastern restaurants, and I’ve always liked this dish.
There is one ingredient that is probably not a Rockdale ingredient, but you can buy it online. That ingredient is fine bulgur wheat. It has a low glycemic index so, if you’re diabetic like me, you can eat it without fear of a blood sugar spike. It’s a nice side dish for any kind of grilled meat.
Tabouli Salad
1/2 cup fine bulgur wheat 4 firm Roma tomatoes, very finely chopped 1 English cucumber, very finely chopped 2 bunches parsley, part of the stems removed, washed and well-dried, very finely chopped 12-15 fresh mint leaves, stems removed, washed, welldried, very finely chopped 4 green onions, white and green parts, very finely chopped Salt 3-4 tablespoon lime or lemon juice 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Wash the bulgur wheat and soak it in water for 5-7 minutes. Drain very well and squeeze the bulgur wheat by hand to get rid of any excess water. Set aside.
Very finely chop the vegetables, herbs and green onions as indicated above. Be sure to place the tomatoes in a colander to drain excess juice.
Place the chopped vegetables, herbs and green onions in a mixing bowl or dish. Add the bulgur and season with salt. Mix gently.
Now add the lime or lemon juice and olive oil and mix again.
For best results, cover the tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes. —kwc— One thing we always have around at family gatherings is a veggie platter with some kind of dip. Since we’re already in the Mediterranean with the first recipe, here is a dip from Lebanon which also uses mint.
Feta and Mint Dip
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley sprigs 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 teaspoon pepper 4 cups (16 ounces) crumbled feta cheese 3 tablespoons lemon juice Assorted fresh vegetables In a food processor, combine the first 5 ingredients; cover and pulse until finely chopped. Add cheese and lemon juice, process until creamy. Best if left to chill overnight in the refrigerator. Serve with vegetables. —kwc— And here’s a side salad for almost any meal. This recipe calls for the small, round mozzarella balls that you won’t find in Rockdale. Small cubed regular mozzarella is fine.
Minty Snap Pea Salad 1 pound sugar snap peas, tough strings removed 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon whole-grain or regular Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon minced shallot Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 pound fresh ciliegine mozzarella cheese (cherry- sized mozzarella balls), halved 1 small bunch radishes, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons f inely chopped fresh mint leaves Fill a large bowl with water and ice; set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the snap peas and cook until just tender yet still crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer them to the ice water.
Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, and shallot in a large bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Drain the snap peas and slice each in half on the diagonal. Add the snap peas, mozzarella, radishes, and mint to the dressing and toss to evenly coat.
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