Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a meal unto itself. It contains grain, vegetables and, if you add feta, plenty of protein. Tabbouleh without feta bores me. In fact, most boring things in life would probably be made better by feta. Bad date? Just add feta. That documentary your grandma wants you to watch? Suddenly, it's more exciting than Spiderman 3. (Note that I did not say Spiderman 2. Feta does have its limits.) For a real party, I offer a recipe that is tabbouleh for twelve.

Ingredients:
1 C bulgur wheat (Usually found in the Middle Eastern section of your grocery store.)
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
2 med. tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped and seeded (If you are going to eat this right away, peel the cucumbers. They taste better peeled. However, if it has to last a bit longer, don't peel them, as the cucumbers retain their shape and water better when left unpeeled. Soggy cucumbers = absolute grossness.)
2 green onions, fineley chopped
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C lemon juice
4 oz. feta cheese, or to taste

Pour 2 C boiling water over the bulgur wheat with 1/2 tsp of salt. Let it stand until the bulgur is tender, 20-30 minutes. Press the wheat and drain excess liquid.

Toss bulgur with remaining ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

POP QUIZ: WHAT IS MISSING FROM THIS PICTURE?