Freekeh with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I’ve made this recipe very robust, really getting the freekeh to suck up the sweet sunshine flavour of the tomatoes. Although it tastes like summer, this is a combination for all year round, as the tomatoes are preserved one way, the freekeh another.

You can play with the seasoning simply to suit what you fancy, try smoked paprika, mild curry powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper or chilli for spice. Freshen the freekeh up with sliced basil, mint or parsley, then give it a zesty finish with orange or lemon.

The freekeh can be eaten as a main course in the same way you’d eat a risotto and I love this idea, a dish of grains can be so much more than ‘something on the side’. Go for the opposite to what we have become accustomed to, rather than thinking of the grain as an accompaniment, think about a small amount of protein to go with your freekeh, a little chorizo, chicken, lamb, mackerel, sardines or seabream perhaps.

By Alex Mackay

Serves 2
20 minutes
2 pans
Beginner

Suitable for dairy-free, vegans and vegetarians

Ingredients

50g sun-dried tomatoes
300ml boiling water from your kettle
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 x 250g pouch of Merchant Gourmet Simply Cooked Freekeh
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

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1.Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain the sun-dried tomatoes through a sieve into a medium sized saucepan

2.Chop the sun-dried tomatoes finely then add them to their soaking liquid in the pan

3.Add the garlic, tomato puree, vegetable stock powder and extra virgin olive oil. Bring to the boil

4.Add the Freekeh, bring back to the boil, then simmer rapidly, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until the Freekeh has absorbed most of the water. Season to taste and the Freekeh is ready