Simple Kibbeh Recipes

KIBBEH RECIPE (HOW TO MAKE KIBBEH)

Steps:

• Cover a fine mesh strainer with a light cloth (a cheesecloth, if you have one). Add the bulgur wheat in, then place the strainer into a bowl filled with water. Let the fine bulgur wheat soak in the water for 15 minutes, then pull the cloth, holding the bulgur, and squeeze all the water out. You may do this a couple of times until you are sure the bulgur is rid of water. Set aside for now.
• Now make the kibbeh (the actual dough that you will later use to form the kibbeh shells). Put the onion, ground beef, spices and pinch of salt into the bowl of a large food processor. Process until the meat is very finely ground almost into a paste. Transfer the meat mixture into a large bowl and add the bulgur wheat. Use damp hands to combine the bulgur with the meat mixture to make a dough. Cover and refrigerate until later.
• Now make the filling. Heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet or frying pan. Saute the onion until just golden, then add the ground beef. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the meat is fully browned. Add the toasted pine nuts, the spices, and the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Remove the kibbeh dough from the fridge.
• To stuff the kibbeh, you need to have damp hands. Place a small bowl of water next to you. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
• With both the bowl of kibbeh dough and the filling near, you can begin stuffing the kibbeh. Dampen your hands with some water, take a handful of the kibbeh dough (about 2 tbsp or so) and form into somewhat of an oval-shaped disc in the palm of one hand. Use your finger to make a well in the middle of the disc, and gradually hallow the disc out to make a larger well or hole for the filling. Using a spoon, add about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Seal the dough on top and, using both hands, carefully shape it into an oval (football-type shape). Place the stuffed kibbeh on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat the stuffing steps until you run out, be sure to have damp hands throughout.
• Chill the stuffed kibbeh for 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 350 degrees F (you'll want the oil hot enough that you can see some gentle bubbling, but not too hot where it will burn the kibbeh shells). Deep-fry the kibbeh in the hot oil, in batches being carefully not to crowd them, until the kibbeh shells are brown (about 5 minutes or so). With a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove the kibbeh and place them on a pan lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat until you have fried all the stuffed kibbeh.
• Serve hot or at room temprature with tahini sauce, tzatziki sauce or plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

MIDDLE EASTERN KIBBEH

Steps:

• Place bulgur in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with water just to the top of the bulgur. Place in the microwave and cook on High 1 to 2 minutes until bulgur is swollen and the water is absorbed. Toss briefly and allow to stand until cool.
• Place the mint leaves in the bowl of a food processor. Process, gradually adding onion through the feed tube, until both mint and onion are finely chopped. Stir the mint-onion mixture into the bulgur, with the cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper. Stir the bulgur mixture into the ground lamb and mix thoroughly. Using damp hands, shape the lamb mixture into small, palm-sized patties.
• Place the olive oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the kibbeh patties and cook until outside is golden brown and center is cooked through, turning once, about 6 minutes on each side.

KIBBEH

Steps:

• Process.
• Kibbeh (Crust) - Put the burghul in the bowl, cover with cold water and let stand for 15 minutes Drain burghul and squeeze in hands to soften. Place the lamb or beef in food processor and mince to fine paste. Add the remainder of the ingredients (adding water a little at a time) to the blender and mix. Remove and keep aside.
• Filling - Heat oil in pan, add onions and cook till soft. Add nuts, cook until lightly browned. Add lamb and spices, cook, stirring until lamb is browned.
• Fried Kibbeh.
• Shape 1/4 cups of kibbeh into balls using damp hands. Hollow out the centers. Using your thumb, press a rounded teaspoon (or more) of filling inside. Shape into ovals. Now deep-fry the kibbeh in hot oil (in batches) until browned all over and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve with appetizers (mezze) and salads.
• Baked Kibbeh.
• Divide the kibbeh into 2 equal portions. Flatten one portion on an oiled medium sized oven tray. Spread all the filling over it. Flatten the other portion of kibbeh using wet hands and layer on top of the filling. Shape into diamond shapes using sharp knife. Drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil with some small lumps of butter (equivalent in total to 1 tbs) over the top. Place in the middle shelf of oven and bake on moderate heat for 40 - 50 minutes or until the top browns. Drain excess oil. Serve hot with salad.

BAKED KIBBEH

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Cook onion in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add lamb, allspice, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up lumps, until lamb is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup pine nuts.
• Make bulgur mixture:
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cover bulgur by 1 inch with cold water in a bowl. When dust and chaff rise to surface, pour off water, then repeat rinsing 2 more times. Cover rinsed bulgur with cold water by 1 inch and let stand 10 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, pressing hard on bulgur to remove excess liquid, and transfer to a large bowl.
• Pulse onion in a food processor until finely chopped. Add lamb, allspice, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and pulse until onion is finely minced (meat will look smooth). Add to bulgur and mix with your hands to combine well.
• Assemble and bake kibbeh:
• Lightly grease pie plate with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Press half of bulgur mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of plate (up 1 inch if using skillet). Spoon filling evenly over bulgur mixture. Spoon remaining bulgur mixture over filling and spread to cover, smoothing top. Brush top with remaining olive oil and score in a crosshatch pattern with a paring knife.
• Bake kibbeh in middle of oven until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat broiler. Broil kibbeh 5 to 7 inches from heat until top is golden brown and crusty, 3 to 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

AUNT LOUISE'S BAKED KIBBEH

Steps:

• Place bulgur in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir 1/4 cup onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, basil, and pepper into the bulgur. Add ground beef and 1/2 pound lamb; mix well. Divide mixture into 2 portions. Pat 1 portion over the bottom of a 12x7-inch baking dish.
• Pat the other portion into a matching rectangle on a piece of waxed paper. Set aside for the top.
• Cook and stir remaining 1/4 cup onion and 1/2 pound lamb in a skillet until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease from the skillet. Stir in pine nuts and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon lamb-pine nut mixture over the meat layer in the baking dish.
• Invert top layer over the filling. Peel off waxed paper. Score top layer into diamond shapes by cutting diagonally in both directions, leaving about 3 inches between cuts. Press a small dab of butter into the middle of each diamond.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and mint.

SIMPLE KIBBEH

Steps:

• First, cook the bulgar: bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a rolling boil. Stir in bulgar and cover. Let it sit for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the bulgar is soft.
• Meanwhile, coarsely chop one onion, and finely dice the other onion. Also lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet if you will be using them.
• Sauté the finely chopped onion in olive oil. Add the pine nuts and ground meat, and scramble. Add the spices and cook until done. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl mix the cooked bulgar, coarsely chopped onion, and 1 tsp each salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine well and then run through a food processor until it reaches the consistency of bread dough.
• To make the kibbeh you will need to make balls of bulgar filled with the cooked meat mixture. Shape ping pong sized balls of the bulgar mixture, and then use your thumb to make a hole in the center. Fill the hole with a tbsp or two of the cooked meat, and gently close the bulgar around it.
• After you have formed all of the mixture into balls, you will need to fry them for 10 minutes using your preferred method. I heat a few inches of oil in a cast iron dutch oven and cook them in several batches on my stovetop, flipping the kibbeh halfway through cooking.
• Drain on a rack and serve warm with tzatziki (Grecian sauce).