I grew up going to potlucks, but it wasn't until the last few years or so that I started to get the knack of bearing something other than alcohol or cookies.
Wondering what to make for today's journal barbecue, my friend/classmate/partner-in-crime Veronique recommended tabbouleh. Parsley, she said, and couscous instead of bulgur. I never knew that tabbouleh was popular in France, and since V is our resident Frenchie, I decided to follow her suggestion.
Labor Day weekend is long gone, which I suppose means fall is imminent. But considering the heat wave we've been experiencing this past week, it seems LA hasn't gotten the message. This dish is perfect to eat on a hot day. All the fresh flavors of mint, scallion, and parsley, combined with crisp cucumber and cherry tomatoes, tossed with couscous soaking in olive oil and lemon juice. I used a young local olive oil from Santa Barbara County. I would have used parsley from my patio, but I've neglected it to the point of no return.
I used Ina's recipe (found here), which was nearly perfect. I did use couscous instead of bulgur, as V suggested, and I added a bit less salt than called for in the recipe. It seems that the ratio of starch to green can vary greatly, but V says her family tends to use more couscous than parsley.
