Tabbouli Salad

In case you haven't brushed up on your geography lately, North Dakota is smack-dab in the center of North America. You can't get further away from an ocean than here. This is Landlocked Central.

It may sound strange to coastal people, but some North Dakotans haven't seen the ocean. For the rest of us who have traveled outside these parts, most remember the first time they saw the ocean. Usually that memory entails sandy beaches, palm trees, and maybe a snorkel. For me, my first glimpse of the ocean was during a family trip to Boston. I was about 12 years old. The shore was rocky and everything was cold - the water, the wind, the wet sticky sand. But it was a beautiful, breathtaking sight. I'll never forget it.

So here in Landlocked Central, when someone shows up on your doorstep with thick bright pink fillets of fresh tuna fish wrapped in butcher paper, it's an exotic treat. Ocean fish - something to be savored, celebrated, remembered.


My dear friend Jenny and her constant companion, an Alaskan mutt named Jack, came by last night with that gorgeous fish and a bag full of fresh vegetables, made a beautiful dinner of grilled lemon-rosemary tuna kebobs, and kept Ben and I entertained all evening with stories, musings, and some good old-fashioned gossip.

Yes, Jenny is pretty darn awesome, if you couldn't tell already.

And yes, Jack is a big dog. We're in the market for a dog-sized saddle as the day will soon arrive where Benjamin will be climbing all over this patient giant, wanting to go for a ride.


Jenny's kebobs stole the show, but I contributed this salad to the evening meal. Per her request, I'm posting the recipe here. And in mid-January, I'll be able to click back to this post and sigh over this perfectly lovely summer evening.

Tabbouli Salad
Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine (June/July 2009)
This salad is light, clean, fresh - it tastes like summer. It's even better the next day as leftovers.

1 and 1/2 cups bulgur
1 large bunch Swiss chard, stemmed
Juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 of a small onion or 1 large shallot, finely diced
3/4 cup green olives, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup EVOO
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Boil a pot of water. Meanwhile, put bulgur and 1 tsp. salt in large bowl. Add 2 and 1/4 cups boiling water and cover the bowl. Let sit until the water has been absorbed and bulgur is tender, at least 20 minutes up to 1 hour.

In remaining boiling water, add 1 Tbls. salt, add chard, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the chard and run under cold water. Squeeze dry and roughly chop. Lightly toss the chopped chard so it doesn't remain in clumps when mixed in the salad.

Combine lemon juice, garlic, and diced onion. Let sit at least 15 minutes.

Fold lemon juice mixture, chard, olives, herbs, and olive oil into bulgur. Season with salt and pepper and serve.