KIBBEE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400º F.
• For Mixture One: Pour boiling water over bulgar wheat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain any excess water.
• Working in batches, use a food processor to grind the 2 lbs. of lamb into a fine paste.
• In a large bowl, combine the wheat, lamb, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well. (If mixing by hand, dip your hands in ice water to keep the meat mixture from sticking to them.).
• For Mixture Two: Heat clarified butter over medium-high heat. Add meat, onion, pine nuts, and seasoning and saute until meat is cooked through.
• Butter a 9"x13" baking pan. Spread half of Mixture One in the bottom. Spread Mixture Two over it, and press the rest of Mixture One on top. Wet your hands with ice water to keep it from sticking while you smooth out the top.
• Cut the kibbee into small diamonds or rectangles.
• Bake until meat is cooked through, around 30-45 minutes.

Steps:

• Do not use purchased ground meat if you can avoid it.
• Even extra lean has too much fat in it.
• Wash bulghur and soak in hot water for about 30 minutes.
• Drain well, and squeeze dry.
• Trim fat and sinew from the meat, cut in chunks, and run through a grinder, using the finest plate.
• Grind onion and mint, and in a large bowl, thoroughly mix with meat and spices.
• Run mixture through the grinder again, and knead the olive oil into the mixture; if it feels too dry add a little water, and continue to knead.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes for flavors to develop, adjust seasonings, and knead again to combine thoroughly.
• Mound on a shallow serving dish, pat down, and smooth the top and sides, using a little water on your hands to help.
• Coat top lightly with olive oil, or if desired, drizzle melted butter over meat, and coat evenly.
• Serve with pita bread or leaves of Romaine lettuce for scooping.
• In addition to being to being delicious as is, raw, Kibbee Nyi is the basis for many cooked kibbee dishes, a few of which will be submitted separately.