Celebrate asparagus season with double roasted freekeh salad

A peck of freshly picked asparagus from my friends, and a few sprigs of apple mint shooting up along the fence row inspired me to make a vegan freekeh salad with asparagus, chickpeas and herbs. It’s a riff on a Martha Shulman recipe that I’ve been wanting to try.

Freekeh is young durum wheat. It looks a bit like coarse, cracked bulghur wheat but is darker with a greenish hue. When you open a bag of freekeh, a smoky aroma wafts up. That’s because this whole grain is roasted or smoked, then polished or beaten to remove the chaff. You’ll find the cracked version, which is what most recipes call for, in the Middle Eastern section at the grocery.

As far as cooking freekeh, simply boil it or pan roast before cooking like I did with this salad.

This earthy, nutty grain takes well to a lemony dressing lightly spiked with garlic and cumin.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the asparagus season.

Double roasted freekeh salad with asparagus, chickpeas and herbs

As far as blanching the asparagus, I just laid cut spears on top of the freekeh in the pan about 5 minutes before the freekeh was finished cooking. Amounts aren’t set in stone. A little more, or less of any ingredient will still taste good.

For the salad:

1 cup freekeh

2 cups water

3⁄4 teaspoon salt, to taste Blanched asparagus – I used about 1⁄2 pound and cut the spears on the diagonal

Couple handfuls chopped parsley Palmful fresh chopped mint

1 bunch green onions, sliced thin – you may not need all 1 can chickpeas, drained but not rinsed Feta cheese sauté(optional)

For the dressing:

1⁄4 cup lemon juice

1 nice garlic clove, minced 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin 5 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a sauté or saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the freekeh and toast it, stirring occasionally, until it becomes fragrant, about 4 minutes.

Add 2 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cover and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes or so. About 5 minutes before freekeh is done, lay asparagus spears on top. Continue to cook, covered, and asparagus will blanch perfectly by the time freekeh is ready.

Let freekeh cool a bit, then transfer to large bowl.

Stir in herbs, green onions and chickpeas.

Whisk dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Go to taste on the dressing. I added a little more lemon juice and oil. Serve with sprinkling of feta.

Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Gilding the lily:

I garnished the salad with edible pansy petals.

Tips: Cook ahead.

Freekeh and asparagus can be cooked a day ahead and kept, covered, in refrigerator.

Good freekeh substitutes.

Swap in farro, bulghur, whole wheat couscous.

Gluten free: Quinoa, brown rice.

Freeze the asparagus.

Blanch, cut, dry, then freeze up to 1 year.

Celebrate asparagus with this double roasted freekeh salad. RITA HEIKENFELD/ SPECIAL TO CINCINNATI ENQUIRER