Larry took the reigns tonight and cooked for Jay and I. I had asked for salmon, so he made the salmon salad again, and an excellent cracked wheat salad to go with it. And individual berry crisps, because I haven’t made them for him in a long time.

Grilled Corn & Tomato Cracked Wheat Salad
You won’t find corn, balsamic vinegar, and basil in the tabbouteh at Middte Eastern restaurants. The classic version is made with bulgur wheat combined with lots of mint and parsley, tomatoes, and lemon juice. But the bulgur wheat provides a blank canvas for any ingredienl you want to use. and I love the combination of flavors in this great summer side dish.

Serves 4

Kosher salt
1 cup bulgur wheat
4 ears Perfectfy Grilled Corn (page 83)
3 tablespoons canola oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
2 ripe beefsteak or 4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir in the bulgur wheat. Cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let sit for 30 minutes or until the bulgur is tender. Drain well and press out any excess water. Place in a large bowl.
2. Heat your grill to high.
3. Remove the husks from the grilled corn and discard. Brush the ears of corn with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the ears until the kernels are lightly golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the kernels from the cobs (see page 83) and place the kernels in the bowl with the bulgur. Add the parsley, chives, basil, tomatoes, and onion and toss to combine.
5. Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the bulgur mixture and stir well to combine. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 min¬utes before serving. The tabbouleh can be made 1 day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.

• Pan-Seared Salmon with Baby Greens & Fennel (Fine Cooking #99, June 2009, p. 77)
• Grilled Corn & Tomato Cracked Wheat Salad (Bobby Flay’s Grill It! (p. 84)
• Blueberry-Raspberry Fruit Crisp with Oatmeal Crunch Crisp Topping (Fine Cooking #51, July 2002, p, 52)