Lemon Tabouli With Tender Romaine

This tabouli is excellent with or without the romaine lettuce. To make this a meal, you could add some chopped grilled chicken. From Epicurious.com, September 2003. Paula Wolfert: "A few years ago, when I was in southeastern Turkey working on my book Mediterranean Grains and Greens, I noticed that the women didn't soak their bulgur in water for some summer preparations. When I asked a Turkish friend about this, she let out a laugh. "In Turkey, no man would marry a woman who just used water! For cold bulgur dishes we always soak in tomato juice, onion juice, or fresh pressed and strained sour grape juice to flavor the bulgur first.""

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  fine grain # 1 bulgur
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2  cups  finely diced tomatoes
• 1⁄2 cup  thinly sliced scallion
• 2  pinches ground cinnamon
•  salt
•  fresh ground pepper
• 1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2  cups  finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2  tablespoons  slivered fresh mint leaves (optional)
•  tender romaine leaf

Directions

1. Place the bulgur in a fine sieve, rinse under cold running water, squeeze dry, and soak in the lemon juice for 45 minutes. Use a fork to fluff the bulgur.
2. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, scallions, cinnamon, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Drizzle on the olive oil and toss. Fold in the bulgur, parsley, and mint and mix well. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally.
3. Taste and correct the flavors with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with crisp inner leaves of romaine lettuce for scooping up the salad.