Dominican-style Tabouli

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely ground bulgur
• 2 cups hot water
• Juice of 4 yellow lemons
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into small dice
• 3 Roma tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, cut into small dice
• 3 stalks (branches) of celery, cut into small dice
• 3 chives, thinly sliced
• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place the bulgur in a glass bowl. Add hot water and let soak for 30 minutes. Let drain well for 10 minutes.
2. Return bulgur to bowl and add remaining ingredients except for lemon juice and olive oil. Mix and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour in the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Adjust flavors to taste and let rest covered for 15 minutes before serving

Prickly Pear Cactus Salad

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups nopales in a jar (chopped cactus paddles), drained
• 3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in long, thin strips
• 1 jalapeño, veins and seeds removed, finely chopped
• 4 radishes, julienned (thinly sliced)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Apple vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup apple vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 small red onion, cut in thin slices
• Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

• ½ cup (4 ounces) queso fresco, shredded
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Rinse nopales in fresh water, drain and set aside.
2. In a large salad bowl, add the nopales, garlic, tomato, bell pepper, jalapeño and radishes.
3. Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing the vinegar and sliced onion, then adding the olive oil slowly while stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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