This is a very healthy vegetarian dish full of Mediterranean flavor. Freekeh is wheat that has been harvested while still very young, and thus is very high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It has a slightly smoky flavor due to the way the wheat is processed after harvest, so it pairs well with mellow flavors, such as beans and chicken. This recipe calls for cooking the beans from scratch, but you can also use canned garbanzos for a faster version.

For the Garbanzos:

½ cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked at least 4 hours

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic

1 sprig thyme

a few black peppercorns

For the Pilaf:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup yellow onion, small dice

¼ cup carrot, peeled, small dice

¼ cup fennel, small dice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

pinch of cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup freekeh, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes

2 cups vegetable broth

Short Sauce:

1 ½ cups fresh cilantro, rinsed and roughly chopped

1 cup parsley, rinsed and roughly chopped

1 sprig mint, leaves roughly chopped

½ cup pinenuts, lightly toasted

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste (about ¼ teaspoon)

For the Garbanzos:

Drain the garbanzos of their soaking liquid.
Place in a medium sized pot and cover with about 3 cups fresh water. Add the rest of the ingredients (you can place them in a bouquet garni bag if you want) and bring the water up to a boil. Simmer until the garbanzos are cooked through. Drain, remove the aromatics, and set aside.

To Prepare the Pilaf:
Heat up the olive oil in a medium sized pot. Sweat the onion, carrot, fennel, and garlic until the onion and fennel appear translucent. Add the spices and a pinch of salt, and stir for another minute or two. Drain the freekeh of its soaking liquid and add it to the pot. Stir everything together so that the freekeh is well integrated, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring gently. Pour over the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and let cook for 30 minutes. Add the garbanzos and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the wheat is cooked through. Keep in mind that these are wheat berries, so they will have a slightly chewy texture and will not be completely soft.

Make the short sauce by blending all of the ingredients together until coarsely chopped, you do not want a smooth puree. Spoon a bit of the sauce into the pot and stir to combine. Serve while warm.

Serves 4. 

These are attractive and light, making them perfect for a healthy weeknight meal. We like the De La Estancia brand of organic polenta, which is made in Argentina.  http://delaestancia.net/

3 cups broth + 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup quick cooking polenta

1 baby eggplant

1 jar roasted red peppers

4 tablespoons zeytin ezmesi or another olive tapenade

Olive Oil

a few shards of Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Bring the broth and oil to a boil, and stir in the polenta.  Whisk until thick.  When the mixture is thick, pour it into a square baking dish, loaf pan, or 2" baking tray lined with wax paper.  Smooth over the top to distribute evenly and allow to cool.  When completely cool and set, flip onto a cutting board, remove the paper, and slice into squares.  The best would be to have 4 thick squares, but you should just make-do with what you have in your kitchen. 

Meanwhile, slice the eggplant across horizontally into 1/2" thick rounds.  Brush lightly with olive oil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning over half way through. 

Heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a grill pan (or saute pan if you don't have), and grill the polenta squares on each side.  Top each with a thin layer of olive paste, baked eggplant, a layer of roasted pepper, and a couple shards of cheese.  You can bake these if you want the cheese melted, but we like them as is also. 

Makes 4 polenta squares. 

Note: You can buy Turkish olive paste from http://www.kitchencaravan.com/recipe/whole-wheat-rigatoni-olive-paste

1 lb of cubed lamb

½ carrot, sliced in large rounds

½ onion, large dice

½ celery stalk, large chunks

Few sprigs of rosemary

Few sprigs of thyme

Pinch of hyssop

1 clove of garlic, smashed

Hard cider (about 1 cup)

A splash of oil

Salt and pepper

Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Put in a medium-large container. Add all of the ingredients, pouring over enough cider to cover the meat and a dash of oil. Marinate for 8 hours, or overnight. If you can, turn the meat over in the marinade, to make sure it is all coated well.

For the stew:
For the vegetables that you will cook with the meat, there are no specific amounts, but be reasonable. You are including 3 different vegetables, so don’t put so much of anyone that overpowers the others, or so much of all of them, that you can no longer enjoy the meat. As for size, keep in mind that you want to eat this comfortably with a fork or spoon, so don’t cut them too big.

2 tablespoons butter or oil or a combination of the two (you will probably need more, so keep it on hand)

½ quince, peeled and cut into medium-sized chunks

½ carrot, cut into medium-sized chunks

½ sweet potato, cut into medium sized chunks

½ parsnip, same as carrots and sweet potatoes

Lamb meat, drained from marinade

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Cider (enough to cover the stew ingredients)

Rosemary, Thyme, Bay leaf,  and black pepper (tied in a bundle or in cheesecloth)

Heat the butter/oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. I love Le Creuset pots for making stews. Every woman must have one.
Add the quince, carrot, sweet potato, and parsnip and cook stirring occasionally, until they gain some color. Transfer to a plate or bowl.
Toss the lamb meat with the flour and coat evenly.
Heat up more fat in the pot until very hot and add the meat. You only want to add enough meat to cover the bottom of the pan, so that you can brown each side well. Don’t poke at it or turn it over too soon, or it won’t create as much flavor for the stew. You might have to do this in a few different rounds. Each time, wipe out the pan and add more oil.
Once you have browned all of the meat nicely, deglaze the pot by pouring in a few tablespoons of cider, just enough to wet the bottom. Scrape up the brown solids stuck on the bottom of the pan and add all of the meat and vegetables back to the pot. Pour in enough cider to just cover the ingredients. Add the herbs. Bring the liquid to a bare boil, then let it simmer quietly for 1-1/2 hours, or until the meat is falling apart at the touch.
That is it!!!!

This chilli is very easy to make, as it uses leftover turkey and canned cannellini beans.  The strong pungency of white pepper is enough to flavor this whole chilli and give it heat.  The whole preparation takes no more than 20 minutes, and can be enjoyed for a few days. 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic

¼ cup sweet onion, medium dice

¼ cup carrots, medium dice

¼ cup celery, medium dice

1 teaspoon ground white pepper, divided

2 cans cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups veggie or chicken broth

1 bay leaf

¼ cup elbow pasta or small macaroni

1 ½ cups leftover turkey meat, shredded

½ cup shredded cheese, like manchego or cheddar

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pan. Add the onion and garlic, followed by the carrots, onion, and celery. Cook on medium heat, stirring the veggies so they don’t brown, until they are softened. Add ½ teaspoon of the white pepper and cook for another minute or two, stirring. Add the beans and the broth and bring to a simmer with the bay leaf. Add the pasta and cook slightly covered for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Add the meat and cook just long enough for it to heat through, and season with the remaining white pepper.

Serves 4 people.