Enjoying Someone Else’s Pantry Leftovers

Tabouli Salad (photo by Andy Mills)

Some of my most exciting new food finds arrive on my doorstep when friends move away and give me their pantry leftovers. I love using up their harissa paste, balsamic vinegar and exotic dried mushrooms because I’m forced to be creative. 

Thanks to my friend Lucien, who has a very healthy diet, I now know about organic freekeh. It’s an ancient toasted grain with a nutty flavor and lots of protein. It’s also fun to say. Before Lucien returned to London, he gave me a bag of freekeh, along with some spelt spaghetti, red bulgur wheat, low sodium garbanzo beans in a box, Vietnamese cinnamon and Madagascar chocolate.

I ate the chocolate immediately, of course, and then focused on the red bulgur wheat. I decided to make Tabouli Salad. 

Tabouli Salad – serves 4 (adapted from “Help! My Apartment Has a Dining Room”)  

1 cup red bulgur wheat
1 cup boiling water
2 cups fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup fresh chopped mint leaves or 3 tablespoons dried
3 finely sliced scallions
2 large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Put the bulgur wheat in a large bowl, add the water and stir. Set aside for 20 minutes while the bulgur wheat absorbs the water.

Add the parsley, mint, scallions, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, until needed.

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