With zucchini and a lovely block of Greek halloumi on hand, I decided on a warm freekeh salad with layers of flavor and textures. Freekeh is a whole grain similar to cracked wheat, that is packed with fiber and protein; a great base for a side dish like this one, but also perfect anywhere you would normally add in brown rice, quinoa or cous cous. I roasted spears of zucchini along with pistachios and minced preserved lemon peel, and tossed the freekeh with the summer squash and chunks of the grilled Greek cheese. This scrumptuous Mediterranean-inspired side dish is a wonderful vegetarian main dish, or side dish served with your favorite grilled chicken dish.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Freekeh with Grilled Halloumi, Zucchini & Preserved Lemon
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup freekeh
- 1 1/4 cups water or stock
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 1 large zucchini, cut into 1 1/2-inch long spears
- 1/4 cup salted pistachios, shelled
- 1 Tablespoon minced preserved lemon peel (you could sub in 1 Tablespoon of lemon zest if you prefer*)
- 4 oz. halloumi, cut into rounds, grilled for 2 minutes per side or until browned, torn into chunks
- lemon wedges, for serving
Directions:
- Bring the 1 1/4 cups of water or stock to a boil in a medium saucepan along with a pinch of salt. Add in the freekeh, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the grain very tender.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a parchment-lined baking sheet with olive oil spray. Arrange the zucchini spears in a single layer on the baking sheet; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of black pepper. Sprinkle the prepared squash with the pistachios and the minced preserved lemon peel. Roast in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.
- Toss the cooked freekeh with the zucchini, pistachios, preserved lemon peel and the chunks of grilled cheese. Serve warm with lemon wedges.
Tagged: freekeh, freekeh salad, grilled halloumi, halloumi, pistachios, preserved lemons, roasted zucchinis, squash, whole grains, zucchini
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