Alaskan King Crab with Pear Tabbouleh Salad

YIELD: 4 servings

1⁄3 cup fine bulgur wheat
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2⁄3 cup boiling water
4 cups Italian parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup tomatoes cut in ¼” dice
2 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced
2 Forelle (or other small, sweet) pears, cored and cut into ¼” dice
¼ cup mint, torn in small pieces by hand
2 to 3 Tbsps. lemon juice
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 Forelle pear, thinly sliced
2 to 3 lbs. Alaskan king crab, shelled and cut into 2" pieces
olive oil, as needed to drizzle

1. For the tabbouleh: Rinse the bulgur wheat under cold water and drain well. Place bulgur in a bowl and toss with olive oil, and then add boiling water. Cover bowl tightly with plastic and let stand 15 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing on bulgur to remove excess liquid.

2. Transfer slightly cooled bulgur to a larger bowl and toss with parsley, tomatoes, scallions, pears and mint. Mix well to distribute ingredients evenly and add lemon juice and olive oil, 1 Tbsp. at a time, adding more of either or both as necessary. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3. To serve, place pear tabbouleh in middle of a plate. Arrange crab pieces around the tabbouleh and garnish with several slices of the Forelle pear. Drizzle lightly with olive oil before serving.

Photo: Pear Bureau Northwest, Recipe: Sameh Wadi, Saffron, Minneapolis, MN