1 c. bulgur (cracked wheat)
Boiling water

Rinse bulgur under cold water; drain well. Turn into a large bowl; cover with boiling water. Let soak one to two hours. Drain; squeeze out excess moisture with your hands.

Dressing:

3/4 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 tsp. salt
ground red pepper

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper; mix well. Add bulgur to dressing; toss lightly to mix well. Turn into a large glass bowl.

Salad:

3/4 c. finely chopped scallion
1 1/2 c. finely chopped parsley
1 c. cucumber, pared and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 med. tomatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 lbs)
3/4 c. finely chopped fresh mint
Fresh mint sprigs (optional, for garnish)

Layer scallion, cucumber, parsley, mint and tomato on top of bulgur. Garnish with mint sprigs. Chill tightly covered for several hours or overnight. Before serving, toss salad to combine. Serve on romaine lettuce leaves.

Makes 12 servings

Submitted by: Karen LaValley