Summertime Quinoa Tabbouleh

To my way of thinking there is nothing better than a fresh tabbouleh salad on a warm summer evening. About a month ago Big J mentioned that he thought it would taste really good with quinoa instead of bulgur. Genius! Here's the recipe!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large cucumber, peeled (optional), seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa in a bowl using 5 changes of water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off water (if quinoa does not settle, drain in a large sieve after each rinsing).

Cook quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain in a large sieve and rinse under cold running water.

Set sieve with quinoa over a saucepan containing 1 1/2 inches boiling water (sieve should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer quinoa to bowl and cool to room temperature.

Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, and minced garlic together. Toss the mint, parsley, onion, tomatoes, and cucumber with the dressing.

Add vegetables to cooled quinoa. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature for flavors to develop. The salad may be refrigerated, but should be takeout at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serves 6 - 8.