Cucumber and mint tabbouleh with minted labneh

Method

1. Start the minted labneh 24 hours in advance. Put 4 tbsp of the yogurt into a mini food processor with the mint leaves, garlic, olive oil and salt. Whizz briefly until the mint is finely chopped. Stir into the rest of the yogurt, then spoon into a sieve lined with a square of muslin. Place the sieve over a bowl, then fold the edges of the muslin over the yogurt to make a parcel. Rest a small plate on top or cut a piece of cardboard to fit on top, then weigh it down with something quite heavy. Leave to drain for 24 hours in the fridge.
2. The next day, put the bulgur wheat into a large bowl and cover with plenty of boiling hot water. Soak for 10-20 minutes until just tender but still a little al dente (exactly how long will depend on the brand). Drain well, then tip onto a clean tea towel and leave for 15 minutes or so to remove as much excess water as you can.
3. Meanwhile, discard any tough outer leaves from the lettuce, then slice it finely. Peel the cucumber(s), cut in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a melon baller or teaspoon. Chop into small dice.
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5. Reserve a few small mint leaves for a garnish. Bunch up the rest and slice them widthways as finely as you can using a very sharp knife, but don’t chop them too finely – if they’re crushed they will go black.
6. Tip the bulgur wheat into a mixing bowl. Stir in the lettuce, cucumber, chopped mint, spring onions, lemon juice, olive oil and some salt to taste. Spoon onto a large serving plate and break over the minted labneh. Scatter over the reserved mint leaves and serve straightaway while the lettuce is still crunchy.