Title: Kibbe (Baked)
Categories: Lamb Mideast
Yield: 1 Servings

2	lb	Boneless leg of lamb (no fat
		Or gristle), cut into large
		Pieces
2	c	Fine bulgur wheat
4	c	Water
2	lg	Yellow onions, peeled
2	tb	Chopped parsley
1/2	ts	Salt
1/4	ts	Ground allspice
1/4	ts	Ground cinnamon
2	tb	Chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp
		Dried mint
1/4	c	Chilled water
		Stuffing:
1/2	lb	Boneless leg of lamb (no fat
		Or gristle)
2	tb	Butter
1/4	c	Pine nuts
1	md	Yellow onion, peeled and
		Finely chopped
1/8	ts	Ground cinnamon
1/8	ts	Ground allspice
		Salt and freshly ground
		Black pepper to taste
5	tb	Olive oil

Soak the bulgur in 4 cups water for 1/2 hour. Drain well. Prepare kibbe mixture as above.

Stuffing:

Grind the lamb coarsely in your meat grinder. Saute the lamb in the butter into the moisture has evaporated, then add all the other ingredients except the oil and continue cooking until the onions are transparent. Oil a 9x13-inch glass baking dish well with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Spread a 1/4 inch layer of the raw kibbe evenly in the bottom. Keep your hands moist and the kibbe will spread more evenly and smoothly. Next, spread all the stuffing evenly over the bottom layer. Form the remaining raw kibbe into 1-inch-thick patties and lay them over the stuffing. With your hands still moist, join the patties and smooth them into a layer (thick) to cover the stuffing. Using a paring knife, score lines about 1/4 inch deep into the meat, making 1-inch-long diamond patterns all over. Lightly cover with the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil.

Bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 F and bake for at least 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

To serve, cut the meat into 3 pieces.

Christine casmith@interlog.com

previous

next