get your freekeh on – passioneats

You have probably heard of quinoa, millet, or bulgur, and maybe even tried a farro or two, but there’s a new old grain that’s making waves these days. It’s called freekeh (pronounced free-ka): green wheat that is harvested young, fire-roasted, and then rubbed to reveal its grain. And this grain can boast some impressive benefits–it’s high in protein, high in fiber, and low in carbs. In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I received a couple of free samples of freekeh to try, without any obligation to post about it. And believe me, if I didn’t like it, there’d be no mention of it here. But I did like it–very much in fact. It has a wonderfully nutty, almost smoky flavor; the whole grain looks like barley. I hear it makes a nice warm breakfast cereal, but I chose to whip it up in a salad instead. The results: an interesting, flavorful dish with tantalizing texture…I’d say this delicious ancient wheat has infinite possibilities.

Freekeh Salad with Shiitake, Kale and Peppadews

Freekeh has a lot of character on its own but is also the perfect foil for any combination of ingredients. I decided to showcase it by dressing the cooked grains in a simple red wine vinaigrette with cumin (to highlight the smokiness) and a bit of honey (to add some sweetness). The warm freekeh is then tossed with a melange of sautéed shiitake mushrooms, chopped kale and a touch of garlic. Peppadews, which look like cored cherry tomatoes, are sweet and piquant pickled peppers that are very popular around here. I usually serve them as a snack with drinks, but thought they would add a nice kick to the salad. Creamy goat cheese is the crowning glory, but can also be left out if you prefer to go vegan. The complexity of this salad hits all the right notes.

Freekeh is still pretty new to the market and may be hard to locate. Freekehlicious, the nice company that provided my free samples, has a website–you can locate stores in your area that carry their product or order it online here. There are two varieties: cracked freekeh, which has nice texture and cooks up quickly, and the whole grain, which reminds me of farro and takes longer to prepare. Both are good, but in my opinion, the whole grain is worth the wait.

To cook, combine the freekeh, water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and continue cooking–20 minutes for the cracked variety, 40 minutes for the whole grain.

In the meantime, warm olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Remove the stems from the shiitake and discard; dice the mushroom caps. Add minced garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms begin to soften.

Rinse and chop kale leaves, making sure to remove the tough center stem. Add them to the mushrooms in the pan with any water that still clings to the leaves. Season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and then cover the pan. Turn up the heat slightly and let cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender.

Make the Cumin Honey Vinaigrette: in a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, cumin, honey, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Drain the cooked freekeh, place in a medium bowl and immediately toss with the dressing–the warm grains will absorb all of the wonderful flavor of the vinaigrette.

Mix the freekeh with the shiitake kale mixture. Add the chopped peppadews (chopped roasted peppers would also work) and, if you’re using it, crumble the goat cheese on top. Give all a good toss, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, and serve immediately. This salad is perfect as a side to roast chicken or fish and is especially yummy straight out of the fridge for lunch the next day!

Serves 4 to 6:

1 cup freekeh, whole grain or cracked

3 cups water

kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and diced

5 lacinato kale leaves, stemmed and chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup peppadews, drained and chopped

3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Cumin Honey Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon honey

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup best quality extra virgin olive oil

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