This post was written by Hatchet food columnist Scott Figatner.

Parsley isn’t just a pretty garnish; it’s the basis for the Middle Eastern salad Tabbouleh. My Lebanese friend taught me this recipe, which is both simple and inexpensive. It’s also extremely nutritious and has been a staple of the Mediterranean diet for many centuries. I served the extremely addictive dish with lettuce leaves.

Ingredients:

Half cup of bulgur
4 bunches Italian flat-leaf parsley, de-stemmed
1 bunch mint, de-stemmed
5 large tomatoes
4 lemons, juiced
Olive oil
Salt
Romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:

Soak the bulgur until it is tender and thoroughly drain the excess water. Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley and mint leaves. It helps to grab a bunch of leaves with your fingers and cut them all at once. Slice the tomatoes into quarter-inch discs and make small cubes out of each slice.

Gently mix the parsley, mint, lemon juice and bulgur in a large bowl. Drizzle in olive oil and salt generously. Allow the flavors to marry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour. Serve with romaine lettuce leaves or pita chips.