Carmine’s Garden – Tabouli

In the early 1990s, when my wife and I first moved in together, we rented the second floor of a big, old Victorian house painted white with brown trim, with creaky steps and uneven floors. Our landlord, Carmine, lived next door and our kitchen window looked down on his extensive garden, where he grew all manner of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. He took great pride and joy in that garden, which took up the entire yard on one side of his house. Through our kitchen window, I stared at Carmine’s garden with envy.

There was a small pile of bare soil at the edge of our driveway and the second year we lived there, I asked Carmine if I could use it to grow a few vegetables and herbs. He readily agreed. I planted a few tomato plants in the ground, along with basil and parsley, and a few other seedlings long forgotten. As my little garden grew on the other side of the bushes from his large plot, I learned from Carmine. I observed when he planted each vegetable and when they were harvested. I studied how he wrapped his fig tree with burlap and tar paper to protect it throughout winter, topping it with a bucket to prevent moisture from getting in. He taught me about broccoli rabe, which I had never heard of, and I learned that pumpkins grow on extensive vines, which Carmine planted so they would wind over the hedges between our yards.

My garden grew well and I was happy with my little patch. At one point, Carmine was looking at my garden to see what I was growing. He considered the parsley that I was so proud of and turned to me and asked with exasperation, “Why would you grow curly parsley? That’s only for garnish on a plate. You need to grow Italian flat-leaf parsley. That’s the kind that you cook with and eat.”

Carmine was an inspiration and early mentor to me in the garden, and I think of him from time to time while I weed in the summer heat. I have planted parsley every year since my first garden, and it has always been the flat-leaf, Italian variety. Because of Carmine’s scolding, I have not grown curly leaf parsley since.

Tabouli

Tabouli is a Middle Eastern bulgur wheat salad, with chopped vegetables and lots of parsley – the Italian, flat-leaf kind. There are as many variations of tabouli as there are cooks, but the parsley is a constant. Some versions are even more of a parsley salad with a bit of added grain. While most recipes include cucumber and tomato, other fresh vegetables would be a great addition. Try chopped red pepper or grated carrot. Maybe small chunks of zucchini or some chopped scallions. A handful of chickpeas would also work well. But make sure to include lots of parsley, but not the curly leaf variety.

1 hour, plus chilling time, about a half hour active time, serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side dish

½ cup bulgur wheat

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small clove garlic, crushed

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 cup Italian, flat-leaf parsley, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh mint, minced (or 1 tsp. dried)

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, diced

1 tomato, diced

1. Mix bulgur and ½ cup boiling water in a bowl that can withstand the heat of the hot water. Cover and allow to sit for about 30 to 45 minutes until the bulgur is hydrated and chewable.
2. Wisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper (and dried mint if using) in a small bowl. After the bulgur has hydrated, add this mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate, preferably for at least an hour to allow the bulgur to absorb the flavor.
3. Just before serving, add parsley, fresh mint (if using), cucumber, and tomato, (and any other vegetables you may use) and stir to combine.

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