Roasted Chickpea & Freekeh Salad

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Spread onto a paper towel-lined sheet pan. Using a second layer of paper towels, gently pat or roll the chickpeas to thoroughly dry; discard the paper towels and any loose chickpea skins. Drizzle the chickpeas with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 20 to 22 minutes, or until slightly crispy (be careful, as the chickpeas may pop as they roast). Remove from the oven.

While the chickpeas roast, add the freekeh to the pot of boiling water and cook, uncovered, 24 to 26 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

While the freekeh cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems. Roughly chop the almonds. Zest the lemon to get 2 teaspoons (if you don’t have a zester, use a peeler to remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind). Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel the shallot; finely chop to get 2 tablespoons (you may have extra). Place in a bowl with the lemon zest and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil; stir to thoroughly combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

While the freekeh continues to cook, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the currants and ¼ cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the carrots are softened and the water has cooked off. Add the harissa paste. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

While the carrots cook, in a bowl, combine the yogurt, the juice of the remaining lemon wedges, and 1 tablespoon of water. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. To the pot of cooked freekeh, add the lemon-shallot dressing, glazed carrots, and roasted chickpeas. Stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished freekeh topped with the lemon yogurt, chopped parsley, and chopped almonds. Enjoy!