Vegetable Tabbouleh

This refreshing salad makes a wonderful main course for a summer meal. Accompany it with celery sticks and calamata olives; offer ripe peaches or plums for dessert. To speed preparation, use your food processor to grate the carrots and make the dressing.

2 cups water
Salt
1 cup bulgur
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 green onions, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
1 large cucumber (about 10 oz.), peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 medium sized carrots (about 6 oz total), grated
Pepper
Romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed and crisped
2 medium size firm ripe tomatoes (about 12 oz. total), cut into wedges

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1. In a 3 quart pan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon) and bulgur. Reduce heat to a simmer; cover and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover; fluff bulgur with a fork.

2. While bulgur is cooking, combine mint, parsley, lemon juice, lemon peel, oil, and onions in a food processor or blender. Whirl until smoothly pureed. Stir dressing into bulgur along with cucumber and carrots; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. To serve, line a platter or individual plates with lettuce leaves. Spoon bulgur mixture atop lettuce and garnish with tomatoes.

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makes 6 servings.