Cumulus’ Cracked Wheat and Freekeh Salad
One of our best meals on our trip to AUS/NZ last fall was at Cumulus in Melbourne. Sort of a shared plates concept, one of the dishes we had a was tabbouleh-like salad, with freekeh, bulghur, mint, parsley, almonds and barberries, garnished with dollops of creme fraiche. And it’s actually quite easy to make (despite the ridiculous procedure described in this recipe). Israeli couscous and dried cranberries stand in for the freekeh and barberries in my version.
I’ve been looking for an excuse to make the freekeh salad all winter, and when I stumbled on this braised chicken with dates from an episode of Everyday Food this week, I knew I had my match. The chicken does takes a little over an hour to make — so it’s not necessarily a weekday recipe, but it’s worth it.
Tip: The addition of 1/4 t. of cayenne adds a wonderfully warm counterpoint to the sweetness of the dates without making the sauce fiery hot.
