Freekeh-Stuffed Game Hens

Tags

ancient grains, Dr. Oz diet, farik, Freekeh stuffing recipe, Freekehlicious, high-fiber grain, roasted green wheat, stuffed game hens

From its early beginnings in ancient Mediterranean lands to technologically savvy production Down Under, Freekeh brings a new addition to the tables of those of us looking for healthy grains.

Known as farik in Middle Eastern and North African dishes, Freekeh (pronounced freek-ah), is not quite as exotic as its moniker might suggest. It’s simply immature wheat harvested while the grain is still soft, then fire roasted. But it’s what those green grains retain that offer up nutritional magic.

Freekeh is packed with more vitamins, minerals and protein than its mature counterpart. And for those looking to get a boost in fiber, Freekeh boasts four times the fiber found in brown rice. You can read all about the health benefits, including the fact that Freekeh is low in carbs and rich in prebiotic properties, here. And if you want information on how Freekeh can help you lose weight, then there’s always this endorsement from the Dr. Oz Show – Ultimate 10-Day Plan to Trim Fat for Good.

Sign me up.

OK, so Freekeh gets major points as a healthy grain, but what about the taste? The answer is pretty simple. If you like bulgur or cracked wheat, you’ll be happy with Freekeh. You’ll find it has a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavor. You can use it in place of brown rice, barley and many other grains. And consider it a healthy alternative to couscous. 

Ready-to-use Freekeh comes in the cracked version that needs only 20 minutes to cook, and whole grain that cooks in 40 minutes. The fire-roasted green wheat is produced in Australia and imported and distributed as Freekehlicious from the East Coast by Barbara Fanelli.

The product is available online or in select stores, including Whole Foods. Check out the store locator to see if Freekeh is available near you.

I got my hands on some Freekehlicious and spent a day concocting a recipe that showcased Freekeh’s flavor and texture. I made a savory stuffing using cracked Freekeh, which I cooked according to directions using chicken broth, then toasted it slightly with garlic and olive oil, adding a little more flavor dimension.

Reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, briny kalamata olives and plenty of fresh basil gave the Freekeh a taste of its Mediterranean roots.

Give this healthy grain a try and let me know what you think.

Freekeh-Stuffed Game Hens

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Makes enough to stuff four game hens:

1/2 cup cracked Freekeh

1-and-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 large shallot, minced

8 ounces chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup finely chopped celery heart and leaves

1-and-1/2-ounces sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted in 2/3 cups hot water

1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Fat pinch of red pepper flakes

12 large fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons (chiffonade)

About 1 cup top-quality Parmesan cheese, finely grated

salt and pepper to taste

Garlic Oil

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves crushed

Place the oil in a heat-proof measuring cup, add the garlic and microwave for about 1 minute. The process instantly infuses the oil with garlic.

Directions:  

Place Freekeh, broth and a large pinch of salt into a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, let sit 5 minutes. Drain if necessary. (It’s probably going to be necessary.)

The Freekeh is cooked but there’s still liquid that needs to be drained.

I couldn’t let the rich broth that I drained go to waste, so it ended up in the dogs’ food.

Toasted cooked Freekeh:

In a small sauté pan, add

1 tablespoon garlic oil (not the crushed garlic, just the oil) and the cooked Freekeh. Toss over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or so until some of the grains start to toast slightly.

Don’t over do it. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large skillet, add about a tablespoon of the garlic oil, then toss in the shallots and mushrooms.

Sauté over medium heat for a couple of minutes, then add the chopped celery and leaves.

When the vegetables are soft, stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, dried oregano, pepper flakes and fresh basil.

How to chiffonade basil:

Just stack, roll and slice.

Drizzle in a bit more of the garlic oil. Take the mixture off of the heat.

A word about the cheese:

This isn’t in any way meant to be an obviously cheesy dish. The cheese merely acts as a light binder while providing another layer of flavor. That’s why it’s important not to use a wimpy supermarket Parmesan. Invest in a little hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano. And because you want a light touch where the cheese is concerned, I find that using a Microplane or a rotary grater results in a little mound of cheese that’s as ethereal as cotton candy. Ideal for this dish.

Stir in the cheese and taste for salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Combine the vegetable mixture with the Freekeh.

Stuff the prepared game hens with about 2/3 cup of stuffing, depending on the size of your hens.

Preparing the hens.

Dry the hens well, inside and out.

I trim the little flap of fat and skin that’s near the cavity, and also snip off the protruding pope’s nose. That’s the tail, tush, rear end, whatever you like to call the thing. In my world, no poultry has one before it hits my grill or oven.  

The game hen on the left has not been trimmed. The hen on the right is easier to stuff without the extraneous flab.

Use the crushed garlic at the bottom of the garlic oil and divide it among the hens, then place it inside the cavities along with a teaspoon or so of the oil. Take some of the garlic oil and rub it on the hens — back and front. Salt and pepper the hens, then tuck the wings under the body by folding them over the shoulders. After stuffing the hens, secure the little legs together with kitchen twine.

 

Rub some oil on the bottom of a small roasting pan, and place the stuffed hens in the pan. You can use a rack if you choose. I don’t.

Roast the hens for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Check that the stuffing doesn’t read much lower than that as well.

Baste about twice with pan drippings during the cooking process. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

You can serve the hens whole or split them down the center.

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Freekeh-Stuffed Game Hens

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Stuffing enough to fill four game hens:

1/2 cup cracked Freekeh

1-and-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 large shallot, minced

8 ounces chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup finely chopped celery heart and leaves

1-and-1/2-ounces sun dried tomatoes, reconstituted in 2/3 cups hot water

1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Fat pinch of red pepper flakes

12 large fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons (chiffonade)

About 1 cup top-quality Parmesan cheese, finely grated

salt and pepper to taste

Garlic Oil

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves crushed

Place the oil in a heat-proof measuring cup, add the garlic and microwave for about 1 minute. That instantly infuses the oil with garlicky flavor.

Place Freekeh, broth and a large pinch of salt into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit 5 minutes. Drain if necessary. (It’s probably going to be necessary.)

Toast cooked Freekeh:

In a small sauté pan, add

1 tablespoon garlic oil and the cooked Freekeh. Toss over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or so, until some of the grains start to toast slightly. Don’t over do it. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large skillet, add about a tablespoon of the garlic oil, then toss in the shallots and mushrooms. Sauté over medium heat for a couple of minutes, then add the chopped celery and leaves. When the vegetables are soft, stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, dried oregano, pepper flakes and fresh basil. Drizzle in a bit more of the garlic oil. Take the mixture off of the heat. Stir in the cheese and taste for salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Combine the vegetable mixture with the Freekeh and stuff the prepared game hens with about 2/3 cup of stuffing, depending on the size of your hens.

Preparing the hens.

Dry the hens well, inside and out.

I trim the little hunk of fat and skin that’s near the cavity and also snip off the protruding pope’s nose. That’s the tail, tush, rear end, whatever you like to call the thing. In my world, no poultry has one before it hits my grill or oven. 

Use the crushed garlic at the bottom of the garlic oil and divide it among the hens, and place it inside the cavities along with a teaspoon or so of the oil. Take some of the garlic oil and rub it on the hens, back and front. Salt and pepper the hens, then tuck the wings under the body by folding them over the shoulders. After stuffing the hens, secure the little legs together with some kitchen twine.

Rub some oil on the bottom of a small roasting pan, and place the stuffed hens in the pan. You can use a rack if you choose.

Roast the hens for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat registers 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer. I check that the stuffing doesn’t read much lower than that as well.

Baste them about twice with pan drippings during the cooking process. Let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.