Roasted Chickpea & Freekeh Salad

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 425°F. Heat a medium pot of salted water 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 dried chickpeas with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast, stirring halfway through, 20 to 22 minutes, or until slightly crispy. (Be careful, as the chickpeas may pop as they roast.) Remove from the oven. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.

While the freekeh cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce.Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Pit and roughly chop the dates. Roughly chop the almonds. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel the shallot and 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. Slowly whisk in 1 teaspoon of olive oil until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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 chopped dates, ¼ cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and as much of the harissa paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 4 minutes, or until the carrots are softened and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the carrots cook, in a bowl, combine the labneh and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the pot of cooked freekeh, add the shallot dressing, glazed carrots, and roasted chickpeas. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the finished freekeh garnished with the lemon labneh and chopped almonds and parsley. Enjoy!