Freekeh means “to rub” in Arabic. The legend of this ancient grain has it that over two thousand years ago a Middle Eastern village was attacked and their field of green wheat set on fire. Trying to rescue their crop, resourceful cooks rubbed off the chaff and prepared a delicious roasted grain.
In this tabouli-like salad, developed by Moosewood’s Wynnie Stein, freekeh’s interesting, nutty flavor is complemented by the refreshing bite of mint and the sweetness of dried cherries. Wynnie loves to cook Middle Eastern-style food and to seek out authentic ingredients. She first heard about freekeh years ago while discussing ancient grains with a local farmer. Then, during a visit to Manhattan, Wynnie went with Michael Flamini, our St. Martin’s editor and an avid cook, to the marvelous specialty store Kalustyan’s, where she found freekeh and a whole suitcase-full of other goodies to bring home to Ithaca. Happily, freekeh can now be found in most natural foods stores and supermarkets.
Serves 4
Time: 25 to 50 minutes, depending on how coarsely your freekeh is cracked
1 cup roasted cracked freekeh* (see sidebar here)
2 cups water
1 cup loosely packed finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup chopped or slivered toasted almonds
½ cup coarsely chopped dried sour cherries
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
*For this dish, we like cracked freekeh, which comes in a wide range of sizes. Cracked freekeh is whole grains broken into pieces, sometimes almost as large as the grains themselves, giving it a chewy texture, and sometimes quite small, giving it a more delicate texture. You can also use whole-grain freekeh, which is firm and chewy with a texture something like wheat berries.
Place the freekeh and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook gently until tender. If you have packaged freekeh, follow the cooking directions on the package. If you bought bulk freekeh, keep an eye on it: it may be tender when all the water has been absorbed, but if not, add a little more boiling water, and if there is still water in the pan when it’s done, drain off the liquid. The cooking time varies: about 15 minutes for small, finely cracked freekeh, and 45 minutes or more for coarsely cracked and whole-grain freekeh.
In a serving bowl, toss together the cooked freekeh, parsley, mint, almonds, cherries, and salt. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the freekeh mixture. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve this on a Mediterranean buffet or combo plate that includes dips such as Roasted Carrot Hummus, Edamame Hummus, or Walnut and Roasted Red Pepper Spread and assorted olives and marinated vegetables or artichoke hearts.