Tabbouleh

We've been making tabbouleh for years, but when Fran's Iranian friend Parvine Latimore made it for a special party, we both changed our recipes. Parvine used extra lemon juice and more fresh herbs than we were used to. The result was incredible—a delicious taste of lemon with every bite of grain and a burst of freshness from the blend of fresh herbs with every mouthful.

Removing the typical cucumber from tabbouleh leaves plenty of room for fresh honeydew or any cool, sweet melon in this summer-inspired departure.

Prepare a day ahead, and chill overnight. Look for bulgur (also called cracked wheat) in natural foods stores and supermarkets.

A growing interest in Middle Eastern food, spurred most likely by the vegetarian movement, brought tabbouleh to the attention of many Americans. It was often served as a side dish at health food restaurants.

In this take on a classic salad, we combine bulgur with the usual tomatoes, green onions, parsley and mint, then add garbanzo beans and broiled lamb for a change of pace.

Fine bulgur might seem like a specialty ingredient, but it is actually in most supermarkets under the name Near East Taboule Wheat Salad Mix — just toss away the seasoning packet.

"My first real job was as a paralegal — but I hated it," writes Marcia Porch of Winter Park, Florida. "There were plenty of signs that my interests lay elsewhere; it just took me a while to recognize them. My co-workers caught on faster: They would tease me because there were always cookbooks on my desk. So I started moonlighting at a bakery on the weekends. Eventually this led to a culinary career that has included owning a catering business. These days, what I make at home has to have do-ahead steps and no complicated ingredients, and be healthful and simple to assemble. " If you have trouble finding plain bulgur (cracked wheat), use one cup of bulgur (but not the seasoning packets) from two boxes of wheat salad mix, found in the rice and pasta section of the supermarket.

This salad of bulgur and fresh mint is a specialty of Rachel's sister-in-law.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

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."