my jerusalem kitchen

You know how movies that feature a handful of A-list celebrities are almost always a flop? It makes sense – no one can shine when everyone is great. Food really isn’t like that though. I’m not saying that you should add white chocolate to Babaganoush because you love chocolate and you love eggplant and you love lemon (although someone thought it was good because it was featured in Bon Appetit). But I am saying that I would be stunned, shocked, and appalled if you didn’t love this bowl filled with A-list ingredients — leeks, dates, chickpeas, garlic, A TON OF LEMON and salt.

The best thing about this recipe, besides how delicious it is, is that if you make it for lunch on Sunday, you’ll have leftovers until Tuesday. And this isn’t one of those recipes where you push the tupperware farther and farther back into the fridge because you’d rather lick pavement that eat soggy leftovers one more time. Farro is sturdy and it doesn’t get mushy after a few days in your fridge (although if you replace it with quinoa, you’re looking at a problem…). Eat with pride, happiness and enjoy this for days!

Recipe adapted from the NY Times

Serves: 4-5 hungry people as a main dish

What You Need:

4 leeks; halved and thinly sliced

1/3 + 1/4 c olive oil

2 1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 can chickpeas

1/3 c lemon juice (about 3 meyer lemons)

1/4 tsp red chili flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c dry farro, cooked (if you’re gluten-free, use quinoa!)

2 c celery celery leaves and tender stems (the inner part of the celery)

1/2 c dates

1/2 c raisins

How To Do It: 

Preheat your oven to 425 F degrees. Toss the leeks with 1/4 c oil, 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Spread them out in a single layer (use a second baking sheet if necessary) and roast, tossing frequently, until golden brown and crisp at the edges (about 20 minutes). In a large bowl, toss the leeks with the chickpeas, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 1/4 tsp salt, chile flakes and garlic. Stir in 1/3 c oil. Let marinate while you prepare the farro. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the farro until it’s tender. Drain and then toss with chickpea mixture. Stir in the dates, raisins and celery. Season to taste (either more lemon or salt). Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!