Middle Eastern Composed Salad

tabbouleh-0506-mld102060.jpg

A tabbouleh-style salad of bulgur with grape tomatoes and halloumi cheese captures culinary essences of the Middle East and Greece.

Ingredients

For the dressing

  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad

  • 1 cup bulgur wheat

  • 1 cup boiling water

  • 1 ¾ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

  • 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved

  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 1 ¼ cups fresh curly-leaf parsley leaves

  • ½ medium red onion, halved and cut into thin half-moons

  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

  • 2 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced

  • 1 package (10 ounces) halloumi cheese, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

  1. Make the dressing: Whisk lemon juice, garlic, and cinnamon in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Gradually add oil, whisking until emulsified. Set aside.

  2. Put bulgur into a large heatproof bowl. Pour in boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

  3. Finely chop 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley. Stir with tomatoes, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl; season with pepper. Set aside.

  4. Stir 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, 1 cup curly-leaf parsley, the onion, and 3 tablespoons dressing in a bowl. Set aside.

  5. Finely chop the remaining 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley and 1/4 cup curly-leaf parsley. Stir into bulgur. Stir in mint, scallions, and 5 tablespoons dressing. Set aside.

  6. Heat a nonstick medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add cheese, and cook, flipping once, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes per side.

  7. Assemble the salad: Place 2 cheese slices on each of 4 plates. Arrange 1/3 cup tomato mixture, a heaping 1/2 cup bulgur mixture, and 1 cup parsley-onion mixture on each plate. Serve with lemon wedges.

Related Articles