Freekeh Pilaf with Caramelized Onions

Heat the fat in a wide, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add all the onions with a generous pinch of salt. Stir to coat, then leave mostly undisturbed, stirring every 3–4 minutes. After 10 minutes the onions will have wilted and turned translucent. After 25 minutes they will turn golden. After 40 minutes they will be deeply mahogany-brown, reduced to about a quarter of their original volume, and intensely sweet. This cannot be rushed — increase heat only at the very end if needed for a final deepening.

Add the freekeh to the pan with the caramelized onions (reserve half the onions for garnish). Stir the freekeh through the onions over medium-high heat. Add allspice and cinnamon. Toast, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until the freekeh is warm throughout, smells lightly nutty, and a few grains begin to pop. This step deepens the grain's innate smokiness.

Pour the hot stock over the toasted freekeh. It will hiss and steam. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a brisk boil, stir once, then reduce to the lowest possible simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 35–40 minutes for whole freekeh (15–20 minutes for cracked). Do not lift the lid during cooking. After the cooking time, remove from heat and let it steam undisturbed, lid on, for 10 minutes.

Spoon the freekeh onto a large warm platter. Scatter the reserved caramelized onions over the top. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden, then scatter over the onions. Serve immediately alongside labneh, a cucumber-tomato salad, or roasted vegetables. The freekeh holds its heat well and is equally good at room temperature.