I have to thank Yottam Ottolenghi for introducing me to freekeh. Not personally, you understand – but I’d never heard of it before I received his cook book ‘Plenty’ as a gift in 2010. As is the case with many of the ingredients he uses in recipes, I was fascinated and had to try it.
Freekeh is a durum wheat that is harvested whilst it is still green and then fire roasted before the external husk is rubbed to remove it. It leaves behind a delicious nutty grain with a smokey flavour. It is one of the worlds ancient grains and was mentioned in the biblical book of Leviticus which could mean that it has been consumed since at least 538–332 BC. It is popular in many middle eastern countries including Syria, Jordan and Egypt where it is used as a stuffing for various foods, as a pilaf and as an ingredient for soups.
I love salads, but always need some substance in them to keep me going – mere leaves alone just don’t cut it for me. I often add grains such as rice and quinoa to my salads, so I was sure that freekeh would be great in a hearty main course salad with teamed with roast squash and sweet potatoes.
A dressing of tahini, lemon and yoghurt adds a tangy creaminess to the dish and seemed especially fitting for a grain with such Levantine origins.
Unfortunately, freekeh and nearly everything else in this recipe is high in FODMAPs and it’s not a dish my husband can eat, so it is one I tend to put together when girlfriends come for lunch – it’s healthy and filling and easy to prepare in advance, so it’s a great choice for a relaxed meal when you don’t want to be going back and forth to the kitchen too often.
Freekeh salad with roast squash and sweet potatoes
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Loading...A delicious and substantial salad - freekeh is a nourishing grain, high in fibre and packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. Find it online at https://www.peskyveggie.com/freekeh-salad-with-roast-squash-and-sweet-potatoes/
Ingredients
- 100g freekeh
- 350g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 – 3 cm cubes (about 2 medium sweet potatoes)
- 400g butternut or crown prince squash, peeled and cut into 2-3cm cubes
- 4 banana shallots, peeled and halved
- 30g rocket leaves
- 15 – 30ml olive oil
- For the dressing
- 100ml natural yoghurt
- 30ml tahini
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- Juice ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 200 °C / 180 °C fan / gas mark 6.
Add freekeh to a sieve, rinse well under cold water and drain.
Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil, add freekeh and simmer gently for 20-30 minutes, until the freekeh is soft, then drain well and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, toss the squash, sweet potatoes and shallots in a bowl with 15ml of the olive oil until it is all lightly coated in oil. Add a splash more oil if necessary.
Place the mixture on a baking tray in a single layer and roast in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly caramelised in places. Once the vegetables are cooked, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
While the freekeh and vegetables are cooking, make the dressing by adding the yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice and garlic to a mini food processor and whizzing together until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper if liked.
Once the freekeh and roast vegetables have cooled, toss together in a bowl.
Top with the rocket leaves and a generous drizzle of dressing before serving.
