Freekeh with Roasted Vegetables with homemade vegetable stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Roasted Vegetables

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 2
   In a bowl, toss the vegetables, zucchini, pepper and onion with the olive oil, salt and black pepper.

   Bowl
3. 3
   Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer, without crowding.

   Baking pan
4. 4
   Roast the vegetables, zucchini, pepper and onion in a hot oven (200°C / 390°F) 25 minutes, until the vegetables brown.

   OvenBaking pan

   💡Give it room in the pan: crowded vegetables steam instead of browning.

To assemble

1. 5
   Put the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a large pot with the cold water.

   Large pot

   💡Start with cold water: the vegetables release their flavor slowly as the water heats up.
2. 6
   Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam.

   Stove
3. 7
   Turn down to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered 30–45 minutes.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
4. 8
   Strain the stock through a fine sieve.

   Fine sieve
5. 9
   Heat the fat in a pot over medium heat.

   StovePot
6. 10
   Add the garlic and fry 1 minute, just until fragrant.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
7. 11
   Add the freekeh and the turmeric, cumin and paprika and stir 2 minutes, until all the grains are coated in fat.
8. 12
   Add the vegetable stock, season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.

   Stove
9. 13
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 40 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

   StoveLid
10. 14
    Mix the roasted vegetables into the freekeh.
11. 15
    Turn off the heat and leave covered 5–10 minutes.

    💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
12. 16
    Gently stir in the mint.
13. 17
    Gently fluff with a fork and serve.