Salad Days

On a warm Saturday morning, I always try to make the farmers’ market my first stop. It seems to set a positive vibe for the entire day—bright colors; clean, fresh aromas; happy people and—with a little luck—some good music.

Summer is in full-swing at the market now, with truckloads of just-picked corn, vine-ripened tomatoes, juicy-sweet stone fruits, fat little berries galore, and a rainbow of perfectly ripe melons—including the lamentably short-seasoned watermelon. We’re also seeing the first harvest of apples and grapes for the coming months. With all this to choose from, it’s easy to fill the refrigerator for a week of healthy meals and snacks—so be sure to pack a cooler in the trunk of your car.

When it’s hot outside and firing up the oven is the last thing on my mind, I turn to the cuisines of warm-weather countries for inspiration. Salad-meals are the obvious choice, but sometimes I’m looking for something with a little more substance. That’s when tabbouleh comes to mind.

Tabbouleh (pronounced tuh-BOO-luh), a favorite in the Middle East, is essentially a salad of fresh parsley dotted with chunks of ripe tomatoes and cucumber, all bound together with a bit of cracked wheat and a lemony vinaigrette. Diners spoon the salad onto a lettuce leaf to eat out of hand like a low-cal “wrap,” making this equally at-home as an appetizer, side-dish, or light entree. Plus, the flavors actually improve when it is made in advance. A taste of summer bliss.

Farmers’ Market Tabbouleh

 1 cup medium-grind bulgur (cracked wheat)*

2 cups boiling water

Fine sea salt

2 cups vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, preferably a mixture of red and yellow, halved (or 3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced)

1 or 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced

4 to 6 green onions (scallions), chopped

1 1/2 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large or 2 smaller bunches)

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons)

1/4 cup California olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Hearts of romaine lettuce leaves for serving

 

1. In a heatproof medium bowl, combine the bulgur with 2 cups of boiling water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and let stand until the bulgur is tender but still slightly chewy, about 30 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve, pressing down firmly with a rubber spatula to remove any liquid; then return the bulgur to the bowl.
2. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, parsley, mint, lemon juice, and olive oil. Toss gently to mix thoroughly. Season well with salt and pepper to taste, and toss again. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Return to cool room temperature and toss again before serving. To serve, mound the tabbouleh on a large platter and surround with lettuce leaves. Have each guest spoon some of the filling onto a lettuce leaf to eat out of hand. Serves 6.

*Bulgur is available in most well-stocked supermarkets, health food stores, and Middle Eastern markets.

 A few final thoughts on tabbouleh….

1. Since tabbouleh contains such a large amount of parsley, I usually chop it in the food processor. The only down-side is that chopping mechanically draws out a lot of excess liquid from the parsley. So when I remove it from the food processor, I scrape the parsley onto a double-thickness of paper towels, gather up the corners, and squeeze the mass of parsley until it is dry.
2. Fresh mint has a tendency to discolor quickly after it is chopped, so you may want to wait and add it shortly before serving.
3. Variations: A handful of crumbled feta cheese can add both flavor and texture to this salad. Ditto for a few sliced radishes. And sometimes I like to pump up the Middle Eastern profile by adding a couple of cloves of minced garlic and/or a half-teaspoon or so of ground cumin.
4. If you prefer, substitute butter lettuce leaves for romaine. Their cup-like shape makes them easier to wrap around the filling, though they won’t be as crisp and crunchy as romaine. Either way, buy twice as much lettuce as you think you’ll need—once guests get into the rhythm of eating tabbouleh, the supply dwindles quickly!
5. Instead of wrapping tabbouleh in lettuce leaves, serve it as part of a meze platter—with  hummus; assorted olives;roasted almonds or pistachios; quartered hard-boiled eggs; feta or string cheese; a marinated carrot or lentil salad; Greek-style plain yogurt; and a pile of warm pita bread triangles for scooping. Serve meze as a tiny feast on its own, or alongside grilled lamb kebabs.
6. If gluten is an issue in your life, substitute quinoa for the bulgur.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well.

 Looking to expand your entertaining repertoire? Check out Peggy Fallon’s upcoming class at Draeger’s Cooking Schoolat Blackhawk on Wednesday, August 21, at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to www.draegerscookingschool.com, or call 1-800-642-9463 ext. 261.