Conference turris::cooks

    BUY, TRIM AND GRIND YOUR OWN LEG OF LAMB.  GRIND IT TWICE.  IF YOU
    MUST HAVE THE BUTCHER DO IT, MAKE SURE HE GETS ALL THE FAT OFF.
    
    SOAK CRACKED WHEAT IN WATER FOR AN HOUR.  DRAIN OFF THE WATER AND
    BY HAND ADD THE WHEAT TO THE GROUND LAMB UNTILL IT IS 1/3 TO 1/2
    WHEAT TO LAMB.  CRUSH ONIONS TO GET THE JUICE AND ADD IT TO THE
    MIXTURE.  ADD ENOUGH FRESH WATER TO WORK THE MIXTURE.  PUT IT ON
    A PLATE AND SMOOTH THE TOP WITH YOUR HAND.  THEN MAKE SOME SORT
    OF DESIGN ON THE TOP.  SOME PEOPLE SERVE THIS WITH PARSLEY AND
    CHOPPED ONION ALONG THE SIDE OF THE DISH.  SERVE PITA BREAD AND
    PUT THE OLIVE OIL ON THE TABLE WITH IT.  
    
    BARBARA

I know that you can either cook Kibbee or serve it raw.  I would want
    to cook mine.  Would you know how long? Thanks
    

    WELL, IF YOU MUST COOK IT.........
    
    DO THE BEGINNING UP TO PUTTING IT ON A PLATE.  BUTTER A BAKING PAN
    GENEROUSLY, PUT 1/2 THE KIBBEE IN THE PAN, THEN SPRINKLE PINE NUTS
    OVER KIBBEE AND PLACE THE OTHER 1/2 KIBBEE ON TOP.  DOT THE TOP
    WITH BUTTER AND MAKE A CRISS-CROSS DESIGN.  BAKE IT AT MODERATE-
    HIGH HEAT AT LEAST AN HOUR (DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU ARE MAKING)
    CHECK IT, CONTINUE BAKING UNTILL IT IS BROWNED THRU.  REMEMBER YOU
    HAVE REMOVED THE FAT.  YOU NEED THE BUTTER.
    
    IF THESE RECEIPES ARE NOT WHAT YOU ARE USED TO PLEASE UNDERSTAND
    I LEARNED THEM FROM A WOMAN WHO COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH.  I LEARNED
    BY DOING WITH HER AND TASTING WHEN SHE DID.  SALT AND PEPPER TO
    TASTE.
    
    BTW, EATING IT RAW IS HEALTHIER!!
    
    BARBARA

    Filling:
    
    1 lb lean lamb, cubed
    (salt)
    1 large onion, finely grated
    black pepper
    2 c fine burghul (cracked wheat)
    
    Grind up the meat and onion together, either in a food processor
    or with a meat grinder until the meat is pasty.  Add a little water
    if necessary so that it is soft.
    
    Rinse the wheat in a strainer and squeeze out the moisture.
    Add to the meat mixture and knead by hand.  Grind this mixure
    (preferably in food processor) until smooth and moist.  Adjust
    seasonings. (This is what is eaten as raw kibbeh, but I prefer it
    cooked).
    
    Baked Kibbeh:
    
    1 medium onion, finely chopped
    2 1/2 T oil
    1/2 lb ground lamb
    1/3 c pine nuts (pignolas)
    (salt)
    black pepper
    1/2 t ground cinnamon
    some meat broth, optional
    1 stick butter
    
    Fry the onion in oil until golden and soft.
    Add the meat and pine nuts and cook until the meat changes color.
    Add some water to soften the meat.
    Season and add cinnamon.
    Butter pan and spread half of the meat over the bottom.
    Spread the filling over this.
    Cover with the rest of the meat.
    Mark diagonal lines on the top to divide portions.
    Melt one stick of butter and pour over the top.
    Bake at 375 oF for 3/4 to 1 hour.
    Baste occasionally with some meat broth if you want.

    Being of Lebanese decent, I lived with these dishes all my life.
    There is a great cookbook devoted to this called The Art of Syrian
    Cooking.  Although the receipes contained in the cookbook add cinnamon
    to some of the dishes, it is as close to grandma as I can get. 
    I also learned to cook via the do and taste method, but this is
    handy for reference.  By the way, you can also shape Kibbeh into
    football shapes and fry them.  Serve this with Laban (Yogurt) and
    syrian bread.....what a meal.

	Here's a basic Kibbee recipe, Reprinted (without permission) from:

			   Syrian Lebanese Cookbook
			          Women's Club
			  St George Orthodox Catherdal
			        Worcester, Mass.



				  Kibbee    
			          ------


	ingredients:	

		     1 lb. lean meat ground (leg of lamb)
		     1 cup fine wheat
		     1 small onion
		     1 tsp. salt
		   1/4 tsp. pepper


	directions:

		     Peel onion and grind with meat. Place in 
		     bowl and add salt and pepper and blend. 
		     Wash wheat (burgal) and squeeze thoroughly.
		     Add wheat to meat and mix well. Put through
		     grinder once. Soften with a little cold 
		     water.



		I also have recipes for:

				Kibbee Arnabiyi
				Baked Kibbee
				Fish Kibbee
				Kibbee Bi Kishk
				Kibbee Bi Laban
				Potato Kibbee (Shepherd's Pie)
				Pumpkin Kibbee
				Raw Kibbee
				Kibbee Spheres (Arras)
				Walnuts ans Potato Kibbee
				Heally Kibbit (Imitation Kibbee)


	If you'd like any of these, post your request(s) here and 
	I'll post it/them.

	-Marc.

Copied (without permission) from "The Frugal Gourmet"

				Kibbe
			      (Lebanon)


	This is the national dish of Lebanon.  It must be made carefully so
	that the flavor of the lamb is light . . . and then the dish can be
	eaten raw.  Yes, I have eaten it raw many times, and I prefer it
	that way.  If you insist on cooking this dish, do not cook it long.
	This is not an American meat loaf!

		4 cups (about 2 pounds) very lean leg of lamb
		1 cup fine-grind bulgur wheat�, soaked in water
		    for 1 hour and then drained
		2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
		1 teaspoon dried mint
		  Salt to taste
	      1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
	      1/2 teaspoon allspice
		2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
		  Large yellow onions, peeled and cut into wedges (optional)
		  Pine nuts or almond slivers (optional)

	All ingredients must be cold.

	Grind the lamb with your coarsest meat grinder blade.  Be sure you have
	removed all traces of fat or tendon.  Add the drained bulgur wheat.  Add
	the onion flakes, mint, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.  Mix well with a 
	wooded spoon, and then grind the whole again, using the fine blade this
	time.  Be careful to keep all this cold.

	This may be served in two ways.  My favorite is raw, a classic dish in
	the Middle East.

	Place large amount of Kibbe in the middle of a big plate, and score the 
	top of the meat in a diamond pattern with a sharp paring knife.  Pour a
	little olive oil over the top of the meat, and arrange petals, made from
	the wedges of large yellow onions, all around the meat.  Eat the meat on
	a petal of onion.  Delicious!

	Or, you may bake the Kibbe in a cake pan.  Score the top as above, and 
	pour a little olive oil over the top so that you will not dry out the
	meat.  You might sprinkle some pine nuts or almond slivers over the top.
	Bake at 375 F. for about 35 minutes, or until the meat is lightly 
	browned.  Cut into wedges, and serve.

	Serves 4 to 6

	� Available in any Middle Eastern store and in most delicatessens.

			Potato Kibbee (Shepherd's Pie)
			------------------------------

	ingredients:

		3 lbs potatoes
		1 lb  lamb meat (diced)
	      1/4 cup pine nuts
	        1 med onion
		1     egg
	        2 oz  butter
		salt and pepper to taste


	directions:

		Boil potatoes and mash as for mashed potatoes. Add egg. 
		Brown meat, onions and pine nuts together and season.
		Grease 8" x 11" baking pan with butter. Spread 1/2 of 
		the potatoe mixture for bottom layer in the pan. Sprinkle
		meat mixture evenly on layer of potatoes. Spread balance
		of potatoes over meat mixture. Pour melted butter on top. 
		Bake in 400-degree oven until brown (about 30 minutes).

		Serves 6-8.

		Optional: Sprinkle 1/4 cup grated cheese and paprika.

    maybe it is too late for some of you to read my note but the ones that
    my note will enjoy a better kibbe(promise).
    follow the steps in the previous note and add the following:
    
    		2 tbl spoons of cummin to the meat and burgul
    
    		2 tea spoons of soumak and one fresh leave of basil to the
    		  stuffing.
    
    you just can't make kibbe without these tastefull spices...
    
    sahtein = in good health
    p.s.
    	the basil leave has to be shopped very fine.

    This past weekend I tried a place named the Middle Eastern in
    Cambridge that had a vegetarian Kibbee made using pumpkin instead of
    Lamb.  I tried to get the recipe from them, but no way Jose!
    
      I'd like to try to recreate this.  Anyone have a middle eastern
    vegetarian cookbook that might have this recipe?

    Does anyone have the Brazilian version of Kibbee.  It's made
    with hamburger and green onions I believe.
    
    Thanks,
    Pam