Freekeh with Roasted Squash, Sumac Onions & Feta – A Well-Wheated Affair

1. 01

   Ready the squash

   Heat oven to 220°C. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop seeds (save for roasting if you fancy), slice into 2cm-thick half-moons. Toss with 30ml oil, sea salt, cracked pepper. Spread on a baking tray in one layer. Roast for 25–30 minutes until deeply golden at the edges and tender; the char is not a mistake, it's dinner.

   ~30 min
2. 02

   Start the freekeh

   Rinse freekeh under cold water—dust off any debris. Heat 30ml oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Toast the grain for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until it smells warm and nutty. You'll hear it pop slightly. This wakes it up.

   ~5 min
3. 03

   Braise the grain

   Pour in hot stock (or water), add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. The grain should drink the liquid entirely and stay separate, not gluey. Taste a grain; it should be tender but with a whisper of bite. Remove from heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

   ~25 min
4. 04

   Sumac-roast the onions

   While freekeh cooks, slice red onions into thin rings. Heat a heavy pan over medium heat (no oil needed yet). Add onions dry and stir constantly for 3–4 minutes—they'll start to soften and release their own water. Add a good glug of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the sumac. Toss and cook for another 5 minutes until soft, sweet, and stained burgundy. Set aside.

   ~10 min
5. 05

   Assemble

   Fluff freekeh with a fork onto a serving platter. Arrange roasted squash over the top. Scatter sumac onions across and between. Crumble feta generously. Dollop green harissa to the side (or stir through—your call; I prefer the sharp hit on the side). Drizzle a final good glug of olive oil, finish with sea salt flakes, and a grind of black pepper.

   ~5 min

First forkful: the grain has a warm, toasted backbone, the squash is sweet and almost buttery, the feta is sharp and salty, and the sumac onions cut through with a clean, almost citrus bite. The green harissa sits there, green and incendiary, waiting for you to add as much heat as you want. It builds—warmth, richness, then the bright slap of herbs and acid. Finishes clean, not heavy.

• ·Freekeh isn't rice—don't stir it while it cooks. Leave it alone and it rewards you.
• ·Sumac onions can be made ahead and reheated gently. They're even better the next day.
• ·If your green harissa is very hot, a spoonful goes a long way. Taste before you commit.