Recipe: Lamb Kibbeh

the appetizer:

The Spice Bible by Jane Lawson reveals the world of spices, including Allspice, Coriander, and Star Anise; with recipes like Cypriot Pork and Coriander Stew, Vietnamese Beef Pho, and Lamb Kibbeh.

Lamb Kibbeh

Serves 6

1-1/3 cups bulghur wheat
1 pound 2 ounces ground lean lamb
2 brown onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 tablespoon pine nuts, to top
1/3 cup melted clarified butter or ghee

Filling

1 tablespoon clarified butter or ghee
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
9 ounces ground lamb
1/2 cup pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the bulghur with water in a bowl, and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine the bulghur with the lamb, onion, allspice, and 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Knead the lamb mixture with 5 tablespoons iced water to make a fine paste.

To make the filling, heat the clarified butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, allspice, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the lamb and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture has changed color. Stir in the pine nuts. Cool the mixture slightly before using.

Lightly grease a 12-inch oval baking dish with an 8-cup capacity. Press half the lamb and bulghur mixture over the base of the prepared dish, top with the filling, and press the remaining lamb and bulghur mixture over the top. Using a sharp knife, cut 1-1/2-inch diamonds through the kibbeh. Press a pine nut in the center of each diamond.

Drizzle the kibbeh with melted clarified butter, and bake for about 1-1/2 hours, or until cooked through. Cover with foil if over-browning. Serve cut into diamonds, with salad, hummus (page 77 of the book), and pita bread.

from:
The Spice Bible:
Essential Information and More Than 250 Recipes
Using Spices, Spice Mixes, and Spice Pastes
by Jane Lawson
Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008
$29.95 US; $35.95 CAN; Paperback
ISBN-10: 1584796952
ISBN-13: 978-1-58479-695-4
Recipe reprinted with permission.

Buy The Spice Bible