Pre-dinner rant before the recipe: A few months ago I wrote about trying to duplicate a purchased product; this time I don’t want to duplicate it; I just want to buy the same stuff.
What I’m talking about is, my favorite dry rub for chicken was based on El Mexicano brand “Adobo Seasoning”. I changed it to my taste by adding a lot more cumin, but I didn’t have to concoct my own rub from 10 or more ingredients. Then I ran out and I was in trouble, the supermarket wasn’t carrying it any more.
So I went to a Mexican-American market, where I found that there was nothing called just “Adobo Seasoning” with no other modifiers, I guess that was a special white-people version. There were at least 10 El Mexicano “adobo” products, plus other brands, but I had to choose between “adobo for pork”, “adobo for beef”, “adobo for chicken”, each in dry or liquid form. I gave up and went back to the supermarket for a different “bbq seasoning” product. My current rub is “Pappy’s” brand plus IIRC both cumin and sugar.
[None of those Mexican-American “adobo” products resemble Filipino adobo, but that’s a story for another time, maybe.]
Recently I found El Mexicano brand “Adobo Seasoning” at the supermarket again, so I grabbed it. I still have the old jar, guess what, the ingredients listed are not the same. Salt, chile, garlic, onion, sugar, cumin are all still there, but the details are different. Dammit, why can’t I get the same old stuff? Yeah, I know, I’m just old, get off my lawn you damn kids.
I’m less surprised, but still annoyed, when Trader Joe’s stops offering something. Their business model is different. But I got used to buying TJ’s “Kansas City Style” BBQ sauce, now that’s gone. I’ll have to go back to paying more for KC Masterpiece.
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I don’t think anyone’s put this in a WFD lately, and it’s a wonderful classic salad.
Tabbouleh
from The Mediterranean Dish, for 6 to 8. Go to that link for lots of detailed comments.
- 1/2 cup extra fine bulgur wheat
- 4 firm Roma tomatoes, very finely chopped
- 1 English cucumber (hothouse cucumber), very finely chopped
- 2 bunches parsley, part of the stems removed, washed and well-dried, very finely chopped
- 12-15 fresh mint leaves, stems removed, washed, well-dried, very finely chopped
- 4 green onions, white and green parts, very finely chopped
- Salt
- 3-4 tbsp lime juice (lemon juice, if you prefer)
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Romaine lettuce leaves to serve, optional
- Wash the bulgur wheat and soak it in water for 5-7 minute. Drain very well (squeeze the bulgur wheat by hand to get rid of any excess water). Set aside. [If you didn’t find “extra fine” bulgur, it should be soaked longer.]
- Very finely chop the vegetables, herbs and green onions as indicated above. Be sure to place the tomatoes in a colander to drain excess juice.
- Place the chopped vegetables, herbs and green onions in a mixing bowl or dish. Add the bulgur and season with salt. Mix gently.
- Now add the the lime juice and olive oil and mix again.
- For best results, cover the tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. If you like, serve the tabouli with a side of pita and romaine lettuce leaves, which act as wraps or “boats” for the tabouli.
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I’m not sure what I’ll be eating for dinner tonight but I doubt I’ll be here to tell you about it. I’m posting this before I leave to go to a friend’s cabin in the Sierras for a long weekend; unless things have changed since my last visit there’s no internet access. Some guests come just for the Saturday dinner/birthday party, some stay the weekend, some go with him Tuesday to Burning Man. As long as someone takes me down to the lake with a kayak sometime Friday or Saturday or Sunday I’ll be happy.
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What’s for dinner at your place? Could you please tell us about it for a future WFD? Message ninkasi23 if you can.
