Butternut Squash Kibbeh With Spiced Feta
- 3 pounds butternut squash
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 large green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baharat
- 1 1/2 cups fine bulgur
- 1/2 pound feta (preferably French), drained and crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo chilies
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and bake, flesh side down, on a cookie sheet until tender, about 45 minutes.
- Let cool slightly, scrape out the flesh, then puree in a food processor until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until nut brown, about 10 minutes.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and saute the onion and pepper until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the paprika and 1 teaspoon of baharat, followed by 2 cups of the squash.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the bulgur and remove from the heat.
- Cover tightly for 15 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the brown butter.
- Stir together the feta, the remaining baharat, sumac, chilies and parsley, making the mixture as creamy as possible.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Fill 8 12-cup ramekins each with a scant 12 cup of the bulgur mixture.
- With your fingers, compress the bulgur to form a large well in the center of each (the bulgur will creep up the sides).
- Fill each well with 2 heaping teaspoons of feta and use the displaced bulgur to seal in the cheese.
- Set the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake until hot, about 15 minutes.
- Run a sharp knife around the inside of the ramekins, unmold the kibbeh and serve immediately.
butternut squash, salt, butter, olive oil, onion, green pepper, sweet paprika, baharat, bulgur, feta, ground sumac, chilies, flatleaf parsley
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11270 (may not work)