Strawberries find another raison d'etre: Strawberry Tabouli.
I don't know if it's still strawberry season anywhere, but if so, and you're tired of strawberry shortcake, here's a new take on traditional tabouli.
I love tabouli, but since I can't stand fresh tomatoes, I like the idea of substituting strawberries. The result is a fruit salad with bite. This is an excellent dish for potlucks or summer picnics, since it travels well and it's not likely anyone else has brought the identical dish. (Don't you hate that?)
Strawberry Tabouli
1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup (loosely packed) parsley, minced (equal to about 1/2 cup, minced)
1/4 cup mint leaves, minced
3 cups strawberries, chopped
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
Place bulgur and salt in a large bowl. Add boiling water, cover with a plate and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove plate and fluff with fork. (Drain any remaining water.) Combine olive oil and lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Stir in parsley and mint. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2-3 hours.
When ready to serve, add strawberries and toasted pecans. Toss to mix or sprinkle pecans on top.
Note on ingredients: Since I had some walnut oil my sister-in-law sent from France, I used that instead of olive oil. Delicious! Next time I'll try using French walnuts, which almost taste like pecans. But then we might have to call this Freedom Tabouli.
