Lamb freekeh bowls

A wholesome Middle Eastern salad full of bright flavours

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Serves

3 - 4

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Freekeh has a wonderfully chewy texture, making it the ideal base for warm salads in these shoulder seasons. Bought in two forms - whole grain takes a little longer to cook, while the cracked form is best for fast cooking meals. Married with the richness of New Zealand lamb and you've got a winner for dinner.

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Lazy Sunday Club
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Ingredients

Dressing
  • ¼ cup pomegranate molasses

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1½ Tbsp red wine vinegar

    to taste
  • 2 Tbsp honey

    or to taste
Freekeh
  • 1 ⅔ cups freekeh

    Whole grain
  • 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil

  • 2 Quality Mark lamb backstrapsi

    trimmed if necessary
  • 300g beans, green runner or dwarf, seeds with pod, fresh, steamed

    trimmed and sliced lengthways
  • 10-12 Medjool datesi

    pitted and torn into large pieces
  • Small handful mint leaves

  • Small handful fresh dill

  • Small handful flat-leaf parsley

  • 2 large tomatoes

    sliced
  • 200g goats cheese

    broken into large pieces
  • ⅓ cup pistachio nuts

    coarsely chopped

Method

Dressing
1

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then whisk to combine well.

2

Taste, then season with salt and pepper and add more vinegar or honey to taste if you like.

3

Add 2-3 tsp of warm water to thin if the mixture is very thick (this depends how thick your pomegranate molasses is)

Freekeh Bowls
1

Combine the freekeh and 1.25 litres (5 cups) cold water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat.

2

Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium, then cook for 35-40 minutes or until the freekeh is tender and the water is pretty much absorbed.

3

Drain if necessary, then cool to room temperature.

4

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over high heat.

5

Add the lamb, season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat to medium-high.

6

Cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, or until cooked to your liking.

7

Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

8

Cook the beans in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes or until just tender, then drain and cool under cold water. Pat dry.

9

Combine the freekeh, beans, dates and most of the herbs in a large bowl.

10

Drizzle over about half the dressing, season with salt and pepper, then gently toss to combine. Divide among 4 bowls.

11

Thinly slice the lamb on a slight diagonal, then divide the lamb, tomato, goat cheese and remaining herbs among the bowls.

12

Drizzle with the remaining dressing, scatter over the pistachios, then serve.