I can’t imagine growing tomatoes with out basil. What would fresh salsa be with out fresh cilantro? You can not add too much parsley to tabbouleh. This is one of my favorite summer dishes with fresh tomatoes and parsley.
Tabouli Salad
1 cup dry Bulghur wheat
2 Cups hot water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 or 2 cups chopped fresh parsley (or more!)
1/2 fresh chopped mint
1 small cucumber, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Combine first three ingredients. Let sit for an hour. Add all remaining ingredients except tomatoes. Chill well. Add tomatoes.
Try This: Chop herbs into sea salt for a flavor intense mash to cover any roasted meats. The salt will absorb the herb’s aromatic oils and boost their flavor.
Crumbs of flavor: Chicken, fish (and crab cakes) become gourmet fare when topped with herbs chopped into bread crumbs for a toasted topping. Herb and bread (or cracker) crumb combination’s add sparkle to baked casseroles, potatoes and macaroni and cheese.
Hot Grains: The heat of cooked pastas will release the aromatic oils of shredded herbs . Toss chopped basil leaves into warm rice, pasta, bean or grain dishes. You can’t beat a simple dish like pasta with just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a little garlic and chopped basil.
Lemon Thyme Couscous
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
a rounded 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme or lemon thyme
1/2 cup couscous
1/4 cup packed freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 Tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
In a small heavy saucepan bring the water to a boil, stir in the zest, the thyme, and the couscous, and remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture stand, covered, for 5 minutes, fluff it with a fork, and stir in the parsley, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
serves 2.
