Lebanese Baked Kibbeh

Thursday night's menu....

Lebanese Baked Kibbeh

1 pound lean ground lamb (or beef)
1/2 cup bulgur
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 TBSP walnuts
2 TBSP water
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Rinse and soak bulgur: Place bulgur in small bowl and cover with water. Pour off through a sieve (or cheesecloth). Repeat until water runs clear. Cover bulgur and let soak about 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess water.

Combine meat, bulgur, onion, and spices. Process by hand (similar to kneading meatloaf) until doughy.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8 inch square baking dish. Press half the meat mixture into the pan. Sprinkle in nuts. Cover with remaining meat. While still in pan cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Brush oil over top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until firm and browned well. Serve from pan or invert onto platter.

Notes: There are other variations of this common Mediterranean dish, including a fried version. And a raw one. The first few bites of this were odd to me. I think I was expecting it to taste differently. But then the spices started to mingle in the back of my mouth and I liked it better with each bite. Also, I served it with a cucumber yogurt sauce that I think helped make it more complex. Otherwise, it might be better as a first course and not a main course.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
1 TBSP ground cumin
1 TBSP garlic, minced
1 tsp ground white pepper

Mix all ingredients and let sit at least 1/2 hour.

Posted by Jennifer at November 15, 2003 10:20 AM