Recipes

lebanese favorites

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is the mainstay of Lebanese cuisine, the most decorative and delicious dish on the Lebanese table. It is a fresh, juicy salad made with parsley, mint, tomatoes, scallions, bulgur, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and extra-virgin olive oil from the family grove below Ehden.

Tabbouleh always reminds me of my téta (grandma): summer time, cousins, and the mountain where she would gather all of us her grandkids, have us help her prepare this special salad for supper outside in nature, and scoop it up in lettuce or cabbage leaves for us to enjoy.

Ingredients

1 bunch flat Italian Parsley, washed in running water and drained
2 tomatoes, ripe on the vine
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
4 sprigs fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp. bulgur #1 fine grade
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Juice of 1 or 2 lemons, to taste
Oleavanti Ehden Grove Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

Wash the bulgur in several changes of water and drain.
Bunch and thoroughly chop the parsley. Add to a bowl.
Dice the tomatoes into ¼” cubes and add to the bowl.
Finely chop the mint leaves and add to the bowl.
Add the bulgur and sliced scallions into the bowl.
Add the lemon juice.
Pour over Olevanti Ehden Grove Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.
Season with black pepper and salt.
Mix the Tabbouleh by hand or using a spoon.

As per my grandma, the secret to Tabbouleh is that it should always be mixed by hand to examine the appearance, feel the texture and evaluate the juiciness. This is also the time when someone nearby in the kictchen is called to taste it and make final adjustments to the recipe, add more lemon juice, salt or pepper to make it a perfect eating experience. Tabbouleh is usually eaten scooped in romaine lettuce leaves but tender white or green cabbage leaves can also be used.

Quick Tips

Tabbouleh is always made with bulgur, never with couscous or quinoa, otherwise it’s no longer a Tabbouleh.

Flat-leaf Italian parsley is essential! The curly type gives an entirely different flavor and texture.

Did you know that the absorption of nutrients such as vitamins A, E and K is correlated with the amount of olive oil added to a salad? The more olive oil used, the better the nutrients are absorbed.

Pour indulgently and enjoy the healthful benefits of Oleavanti-Ehden Grove Extra-Virgin Olive Oil in your Tabbouleh and in every salad of your choice.