Freekeh Pilaf with Slow-Cooked Onions and Browned Butter Almonds

What you need

• 180 g (1 cup) cracked freekeh
• 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock, hot, plus extra if needed
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Lebanese seven-spice mix, or baharat
• 15 g (1 tbsp) butter, for the pilaf
• 40 g (3 tbsp) butter, for browning
• 40 g (1/3 cup) blanched almonds, slivered or halved
• salt, to taste

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Spread the freekeh on a tray and pick out any small stones or husks.

2. 2

   Rinse the freekeh in several changes of water, then soak it in warm water for 30 min. Drain in a fine sieve.

3. 3

   Warm the stock in a small pot and keep it hot over low heat.

4. 4

   Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pot over low heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring now and then, until deep golden and very soft, 15-20 min. Do not rush this step.

5. 5

   Stir the drained freekeh and seven-spice into the onions. Stir for 5 min, until the grains smell toasty.

6. 6

   Pour in enough hot stock to cover the grains by 1 cm (1/2 in). Add the 15 g (1 tbsp) butter and salt to taste, then stir.

7. 7

   Cover and cook over low heat until the grains are tender but still chewy, 30-40 min. If the pot dries out before the grains soften, add a splash of hot stock.

8. 8

   While the pilaf cooks, melt the 40 g (3 tbsp) butter in a small pan over low heat. Let it foam until the milk solids turn nutty brown, 5-10 min. Add the almonds for the last 2 min, until golden.

9. 9

   Take the pot off the heat and rest it, covered, for 5 min. Fluff with a fork and adjust the salt.

10. 10

    Spoon the pilaf onto a platter, top with the almonds and drizzle with the browned butter. Serve at once.

Imported from zaatarandzaytoun.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.