the one when I made tabbouleh

We were invited to a birthday/retirement BBQ and asked to make a couscous salad...but I was out of couscous.

As an alternative I made tabbouleh following the recipe in Ghillie Basan's recently published 'Flavours of the Middle East'.

The recipe (below) is simple but delicious.  

However, I almost made a huge mistake in using Concentrated Balsamic Glaze instead of Pomegranate Molasses... my OH pointed out to me I noticed just before adding the dressing to the mix of bulgur, lemon juice parsley, chives, mint and pomegranate seeds.

The salad bar before everyone dived in!

And there was enough tabbouleh left over today to have with some steak and roast new potatoes, mmmm!

Thank you to Chris and Sarah for a lovely afternoon yesterday - weren't you lucky with the weather.

Parsley Salad with Bulgur and Pomegranate Seeds

Serves 4-6

• 60g / 1/2 cup fine bulgur
• juice from 2 unwaxed lemons
• large bunch of flat leaf parsley
• bunch of fresh mint leaves 
• 4 spring onions/scallions trimmed and finely sliced (I used chives)
• seeds of 1 pomegranate
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pomegranate syrup/molasses
• salt & pepper

Rinse the bulgur and drain well then place in a bowl with the lemon juice and a little warm water to cover the bulgur.  Leave it soften for 10 minutes.

Finely slice the parsley & mint (leaves & stalk tops of both).  Add to the bulgur.

Add the spring onions/scallions and most of the pomegranate seeds then mix.

Gently add the oil and syrup/molasses.

Season to taste and sprinkle with the reserved pomegranate seeds.

Serve immediately before the herbs have a chance to soften.