Toasted Garlic Emmer with Herbs and Preserved Lemon Recipe

A perfect bed under just about anything -- from roasted chicken to grilled white fish. 12 cloves of garlic might seem like a lot of garlic -- use a nice, hard-neck garlic, and you will be happy!

Adapted from The Bon Appetit Cookbook, (Conde Naste Publications, 2008).

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups uncooked emmer
3-3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice bran oil or vegetable oil
12 cloves of hard-neck garlic - minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon peel

Directions:
1. Place emmer in strainer. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.

2. Bring broth and lemon juice to simmer in heavy large saucepan.

3. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden - about 1 minute.
Add emmer and stir 2 minutes.
Add hot broth mixture and 3/4 teaspoon salt - bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and broth is absorbed - about 1 hour.
Turn off heat and let stand, covered, about 10 minutes. Add herbs and lemon peel to emmer, fluff with fork, mix gently. Season with additional salt if desired.

serves 6