Grain Bowl with Beets & Chickpeas
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- Cooked Farro (With Bay Leaf) 2 ½ cup
- chickpeas 2
- extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp
- Kosher
- pre-cooked beets 12-16 oz
- champagne vinegar or good-quality vinegar of choice 1 tsp
- arugula or soft salad greens of choice 5 oz
- A
- medium fennel bulb 1
- Creamy Mint-Cilantro Dressing 0.67 cup
- Quick Pickled Shallots 2 forkful
- Crunchy Protein Mix 5 tbsp
If you bought pre-marinated beets, skip the vinegar in step 3(a). If you bought raw beets, cook the beets along with the chickpeas following these instructions: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Trim the beet greens and most of the stalks, but leave some stalk intact to prevent the beets from “bleeding” in the oven. Do not trim the beet tails. Wash and scrub the beets, then very lightly rub them with olive oil. Place the beets in an ovenproof casserole-style or baking dish (or Dutch oven) and pour water into the pan to go ¼ inch (.6 cm) up the sides. Cover the pan with its lid or aluminum foil. Roast for 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the size, or until fork-tender. (Medium-sized beets usually take 50 to 60 minutes, larger beets up to 90 minutes.) If the Creamy Mint-Cilantro Dressing is too thick, add a splash of water and stir well. If you’d like a little heat in your grain bowl, thinly slice the remaining 1/2 jalapeño peppers (if you used 1/2 in the Creamy Mint-Cilantro Dressing) and add a slice or two to each bowl. Storage: Store the beet-farro mixture, roasted chickpeas, and dressing separately in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To reheat the chickpeas, toss with a tiny bit of oil and bake on a sheet pan at 300ºF / 150ºC for 7 to 8 minutes, until hot and crisp, or reheat in a frying pan over medium heat. For the Creamy Mint-Cilantro Dressing, stir in a splash of water if too thick and/or a squeeze of lemon juice to liven the flavors. Serve the beet-farro mixture at room temp or reheat in the microwave. Assemble your bowl as listed in the last step right before serving. Nutrition boost: Fold in thinly sliced raw radishes or celery, or roasted sweet potatoes, roasted cauliflower, or roasted carrots. For added protein, fold in some cooked or defrosted edamame into your bowl. Shortcut: Skip the roasted chickpeas, and either use store-bought roasted chickpeas OR simply toss the canned chickpeas with olive oil and salt/pepper to taste. Shortcut: Skip the fennel. Shortcut: Skip the Crunchy Protein Mix and use roasted, salted almonds or pistachios (or pepitas). Simply chop before adding in step 5.
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1Gather: Cooked Farro (With Bay Leaf) , chickpeas , extra virgin olive oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, pre-cooked beets , champagne vinegar or good-quality vinegar of choice , arugula or soft salad greens of choice , A few squeezes of lemon juice, medium fennel bulb , Creamy Mint-Cilantro Dressing , Quick Pickled Shallots , Crunchy Protein Mix .
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2Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 425°F / 220°C. Take the Cooked Farro out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
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3Roast the chickpeas. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dry thoroughly by adding to a salad spinner and running several times; or, transfer to a large dish towel and gently rub to remove moisture. Transfer to a rimmed sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, a scant 1 1/2 tsp of kosher salt, and lots of pepper. Spread out on the pan. Roast for 20 minutes , then remove from the oven. Shake the pan to distribute well. Bake until crispy, golden all over, and browned in spots, another 10 to 15 minutes (well-worn pans may need less time).
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4While the chickpeas roast, prep the beets. Using a knife or mandoline, thinly slice the beets into half moons or rounds. Add to a medium bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and the vinegar. Taste, adding salt/pepper, more olive oil for richness, or more vinegar for tang.
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5Assemble: Add the arugula to a large bowl and squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top, tossing with your hands. Add the prepped beets and fennel (if using) plus the Cooked Farro. Add the Creamy Mint-Cilantro Dressing and toss to coat. Taste, adding a pinch of salt and pepper as needed.
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6Divide the mixture across bowls. Sprinkle roasted chickpeas on top of each bowl. Top each with a few Quick Pickled Shallots plus a spoonful of pickling liquid, a heaping tablespoon of Crunchy Protein Mix, and a few sprinkles of fennel fronds, if using.