Name: Freekeh, cumin-roast artichoke, grilled corn and pomegranate
Yield: For 4 as a main course or 6 as a starter
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 tsp fresh thyme, oregano or finely chopped rosemary; 2 handfuls wild rocket (arugula); 4 tbsp snipped dill (1–2 cm/½–¾ in. lengths); 20 mint leaves, torn; 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 whole pomegranate; 1 large juicy lemon; 4–6 large globe artichokes (1.5 kg/3 lb. 5 oz.) whole raw weight); 2 bay leaves; 200 g (7 oz./1 cup) freekeh, rinsed and drained; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped; 1 small red onion, finely chopped; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 corn cobs, husks removed

Preparation info

For
4
as a main course as a starter

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Savour

By Peter Gordon

Published 2016

About

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