Uses for Freekeh

[Margaret Pilgrim]

We are enjoying it simply steamed and tossed with olive oil and herbs but I'm sure it has legs past these simple uses.    Experiences?

[shain]

Missed this one

 

First, it works with most bulgur dishes - e.g. majedarah, tabbouleh (of the less traditional, more-grain-than-herbs version).

It also has an affinity for sweet-sour fruity flavors and dried fruits.

 

It is common to cook it with chicken thigh, caramelized onion, optional carrots and/or chickpeas, some baharat or cumin and cinnamon, raisins (or other dried fruits), then finish it with olive oil, sumac, toasted nuts, herbs; some yogurt on the side.

Or chickpeas, mushrooms, onion, thyme, nuts, silan, some spices.

You can use it to stuff eggplants, vine leaves, cabbage, zucchini, etc.

 

Here are some of my recipes, I can share a recipe if someone wishes to:

- Freekeh stuffed onions, with nuts, raisins, pomegranate molasses.

- Freekeh cooked risotto style with mushrooms and chickpeas.

- Freekeh stuffed zucchini in buttermilk and garlic sauce.

- Salad of freekeh and carrots, raisins, cinnamon, orange.

- Salad of freekeh, apples, walnuts, saint maure cheese, mint.

- Salad of freekeh, peas, sirene cheese.

- Salad of freekeh and strawberries, tomatoes, feta cheese, mint.

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by shain (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Wow!    Many thanks for these.    I can mentally parse most of your dishes but the zucchini in buttermilk and garlic sauce is beyond me.    Can you give us more detail?

[heidih]

1 minute ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Wow!    Many thanks for these.    I can mentally parse most of your dishes but the zucchini in buttermilk and garlic sauce is beyond me.    Can you give us more detail?

Exactly the one I going to ask about. I don't use buttermilk enough though I enjoy making the Ethiopian fresh cheese with it.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

8 minutes ago, heidih said:

Exactly the one I going to ask about. I don't use buttermilk enough though I enjoy making the Ethiopian fresh cheese with it.

More windows to open.    Heidi, can you share how you make your Ethiopian fresh cheese?

[shain]

11 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Wow!    Many thanks for these.    I can mentally parse most of your dishes but the zucchini in buttermilk and garlic sauce is beyond me.    Can you give us more detail?

 

8 minutes ago, heidih said:

Exactly the one I going to ask about. I don't use buttermilk enough though I enjoy making the Ethiopian fresh cheese with it.

 

Yogurt is also traditional for this, and can be substituted. I use strained buttermilk (leben) which is like yogurt but with a cold fermenting culture.

 

The sauce is stabilized with starch, the garlic is briefly fried, the stuffed zucchini is cooked in the sauce. Finished with olive oil and lemon.

Chicken stock is commonly included as well.

 

This kind of sauce can also be served cold.

Other than stuffed zucchini it is also common with stir fried zucchini cubes and with chickpeas. Served over rice or bulgur.

[heidih]

2 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

More windows to open.    Heidi, can you share how you make your Ethiopian fresh cheese?

Like ricotta from milk v. whey. Heated to bare tiny bubbles, lemon juice to curdle, strain.