Freekeh salad with roasted shallots

Serves: 4 ● Prep time: 20 minutes (plus extra to make vinaigrette) ● Cooking time: 25 - 30 minutes
Freekeh is a high-fiber, high-protein grain; it’s made from fresh green wheat that’s roasted and rubbed to make it smokey and tender. One boils freekeh much like rice or quinoa; it has a wonderful nutty texture and flavour which marries so well with sweet roasted shallots, salty feta, and a bold umami-packed dressing such as the roasted pine nut & caper vinaigrette used here.

TIP: You can keep the dressing vegan if you wish, by omitting the anchovies, and you can remove the feta too; it will still be very delicious. This salad can be made in advance and it’s equally tasty the next day - perfect for left-over lunches or picnics!
method
  • 8 tbsp roasted pine nut & caper vinaigrette
  • 400 g (2 ½ cups) round shallots
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp flakey sea salt
  • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
  • 300 g (1 ½ cups) freekeh
  • 200 g feta cheese
  • 30 g parsley
  • 1 red chilli, optional


  1. Start by making your roasted pine nut & caper vinaigrette dressing, following this recipe >.
  2. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and have an oven rack near the top.
  3. While the oven is preheating, halve the shallots through their root and peel; toss the prepped shallots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of flaky sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Coat everything evenly then scatter over a lined roasting tray and roast at the top of the hot oven for 28 minutes.
  4. Rinse the freekeh under running water. Cover generously with cold salted water and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until cooked through yet with a faint, nutty resistance at its core. Drain and allow the steam to billow off well to avoid a wet salad. (Tip - tip the cooked grain onto a spare roasting tray that’s lined with 2 sheets of kitchen roll to cool quickly and steam-dry as much as possible).
  5. Finely chop the parsley, de-seed and finely chop the chilli, if using, and crumble the feta.
  6. Once your shallots have roasted and cooled, and your grain is cool, toss everything together with 8 tablespoons of the roasted pine nut & caper vinaigrette then transfer into your serving dish. This wholesome and flavoursome salad needs little else to accompany itself, but some simply dressed rocket makes a lovely side if you wish to add some greens.


ingredients
  • 8 tbsp roasted pine nut & caper vinaigrette
  • 400 g (2 ½ cups) round shallots
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp flakey sea salt
  • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
  • 300 g (1 ½ cups) freekeh
  • 200 g feta cheese
  • 30 g parsley
  • 1 red chilli, optional


method
  1. Start by making your roasted pine nut & caper vinaigrette dressing, following this recipe >.
  2. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and have an oven rack near the top.
  3. While the oven is preheating, halve the shallots through their root and peel; toss the prepped shallots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of flaky sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Coat everything evenly then scatter over a lined roasting tray and roast at the top of the hot oven for 28 minutes.
  4. Rinse the freekeh under running water. Cover generously with cold salted water and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until cooked through yet with a faint, nutty resistance at its core. Drain and allow the steam to billow off well to avoid a wet salad. (Tip - tip the cooked grain onto a spare roasting tray that’s lined with 2 sheets of kitchen roll to cool quickly and steam-dry as much as possible).
  5. Finely chop the parsley, de-seed and finely chop the chilli, if using, and crumble the feta.
  6. Once your shallots have roasted and cooled, and your grain is cool, toss everything together with 8 tablespoons of the roasted pine nut & caper vinaigrette then transfer into your serving dish. This wholesome and flavoursome salad needs little else to accompany itself, but some simply dressed rocket makes a lovely side if you wish to add some greens.