Freekeh, cumin-roast artichoke, grilled corn and pomegranate

I love the smokiness of freekeh; it’s quite unique in that way for a grain. I recall talking with a freekeh farmer in Turkey who explained why that is. At the end of summer, when the ground is dry and the grains are nearly ripe, but still with a little moisture in them, he sets fire to his fields. While the chaff and straw burn away, the grains, with their little amount of moisture, avoid incineration. They are then harvested and cracked, ready to be cooked. When cooking freekeh, I always a