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Gina @ The Passionate Pantry

MIDDLE EASTERN STYLE FREEKEH SALAD

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10 as a side dish
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g whole grain freekeh
  • 900 g water TM31 or 1 litre water (TM5)
  • 20 g olive oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt

  • ¼ red onion very finely chopped
  • 6 sprigs flat leaf parsley finely chopped
  • I small fennel bulb cut into quarters, remove core, and then finely slice
  • 3 radishes cut in half, thinly sliced
  • 50 g barberries
  • 50 g green raisins
  • 50 g preserved lemon cut into small cubes (or zest of 2 lemons)
  • 40 g lemon juice
  • 40 g olive oil
  • 2 tsp sumac
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

  • Extra sea salt flakes and pepper to taste

  • 100 g toasted pistachios
  • 30 g toasted sunflower seeds
  • 30 g toasted pepita seeds
  • 10 g toasted sesame seeds
  • Small handful baby spinach leaves

Method
 

  1. Insert simmering basket into TM bowl and weigh in freekeh
  2. Remove basket and rinse freekeh well
  3. Place water, olive oil and salt into ™ bowl, insert basket with freekeh and cook 45 minutes / 100 / speed 4
  4. Remove basket from ™ bowl and put aside to drain the freekeh for 5 minutes
  5. Transfer the freekeh to an oblong container and allow to cool for an hour before covering and storing in the fridge to get completely cold … this step can be done a day ahead if preferred
  6. Once cold place freekeh in a large mixing bowl
  7. Add the red onion, parsley, fennel, radishes, dried fruit, preserved lemon, lemon juice, olive oil, sumac, salt and pepper … stir everything together well then taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if needed
  8. Put salad into the fridge until ready to serve … this can be done well ahead, but to keep the spinach glossy and the nuts and seeds crisp I add them just before I am about to serve
  9. When ready to serve lightly fold through the spinach leaves, nuts and seeds and place onto a serving platter, or spoon onto individual plates
  10. The salad will keep well in the fridge for up to three days but the nuts and seeds will lose their crispness over this time
  11. You can also serve this as a warm salad by lightly warming in a large frypan, or in a covered baking dish in a moderate oven until the chill has come off it ... then stir through the spinach and the nuts/seeds