Lebanese Kibbeh In A Tray
- Basic Kibbeh
- 2 1/2 cups cubed tender lamb
- 2 cups bulgur (crushed wheat)
- 2 medium onions
- 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- ice water
- Stuffing
- 1 cup ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup cooking fat
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- Select lamb from loin of the animal.
- Pound the cubed meat with a teaspoon of salt in a stone mortar with a wooden mallet.
- Remove meat from mortar when it becomes pasty.
- Now pound onion with a teaspoon of salt and the pepper until it is reduced to a pulp.
- Combine meat and onion and pound together until very smooth.
- Wash bulghur well in running water but do this quickly so that it does not soften.
- Press to remove water.
- Knead bulghur and meat with the hands.
- Pound together in mortar.
- Add salt to taste.
- Dip mallet in ice water occasionally to keep meat moist and smooth.
- Properly prepared kibbeh must be pounded at least an hour.
- Then it is ready to be eaten as it is, or cooked in a variety of ways.
- Preparation time may be shortened considerably by grinding meat several times through fine blade of meat grinder.
- Grind onion twice.
- Grind onions with meat once.
- Combine washed bulghur with meat-onion mixture.
- Knead well, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Grind this mixture three times adding a tablespoon of ice water to keep it smooth.
- To make stuffing: Heat fat.
- Fry chopped onions in it until soft.
- Add meat and fry until lightly browned.
- Add pine nuts and continue frying until they are slightly browned and the meat has lost its pink color entirely.
- Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon.
- Pour off excess fat.
- To make Kibbeh in a Tray: Grease a shallow 12 x 18 inch baking pan.
- Pat a layer of basic kibbeh smoothly and firmly over the bottom of the pan to the depth of one inch.
- Cover this evenly with with a layer of stuffing.
- Top with a second layer of kibbeh slightly thicker than the first.
- Score into diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
- Pour one cup melted samneh or butter over all.
- Bake in moderate oven about 20 minutes, or until well browned.
- Serve hot or cold.
kibbeh, cubed tender lamb, onions, salt, pepper, water, stuffing, ground beef, onion, pine nuts, cooking fat, salt, pepper, cinnamon
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/lebanese-kibbeh-in-a-tray-26639 (may not work)