For Cathy in Lebanon

Kibbeh is bulgur, onions, spices and something else. It can be goat, beef, chicken, fish, pumpkin, potato or no doubt other ingredients. It is made in a variety of shapes stuffed, layered, in balls or more pie-shaped then it is cooked over a fire, fried in oil, baked in trays in the oven, and eaten raw. I do have a recipe

This is from the family cookbook typed up years ago and given to family:

Kibbeh - Kibbbi

Makes 16 servings


Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups bulgur
2 pounds ground lamb (or beef) for kibbi
1 pound ground lamb (or beef) for filling
3 medium onions (2-3 onions)
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 tablespoon salt to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon mixed spices (equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
water iced and salted

Directions:
Soak bulgur in water to cover for about 1/2 hour. Squeeze excess water out of burghul when ready to mix with other ingredients.

Put 1/3 of onion in food processor with 1/3 of spices and chop fine. Add 1/3 of bulgur and meat and process till well mixed. Move to large bowl and continue to process the rest of ingredients and transfer all to the large bow. Knead well to mix all ingredients thoroughly. Sometimes water is added if it feels dry. Shape and cook as desired. Serve with yogurt or ketchup.

B'Zait (with oil) - Can be made with one or two layers. Spread 1/2 in 9x12-inch greased pan using fingers. Distribute filling evenly. Spread remaining meat mixture over filling and smooth with salted ice water. I have found that patting the meat mixture thing and placing it over the top of the filling in patches and then smoothing to cover before using or while using the salty ice water makes this easier. Use a sharp knife to cut into diamond shapes by cutting diagonally from the top right corner to the bottom left corner of the pan and then making diagonal cuts about 2 inches apart equally distributed across the entire pan. Then, cut horizontally and lengthwise to make diamond shapes. Mark the top of each diamond with the tip of the knife making 3 or so dips. Cover with thin layer of oil and dot with butter. Bake at 350 - 400 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown - about 1 - 1 1/4 hours.

One Layer: Spread all of the meat with bulgur in 2 pans or 1 large pan to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut and cover with oil. Bake on middle shelf of oven 20-30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit and then move to top shelf 10 minutes or until brown.

Ras: Form 2 half shells. Put filling inside and seal well with ice water.
Barbecue (1989) To do this one takes a bit of the burgal and meat mixture that is rolled into a ball and then flattened in the palm of the non-dominant hand by the dominant hand shaping it into a saucer shape that will be able to hold filling. This is turned upside down over an upside down teacup or bowl while the other half is made in the same fashion. Holding the half-shell or half-ras in my left hand I fill with the pine nut and meat mixture, put iced salt water around the rim of the half that is now filled, pick up the other half waiting on the teacup or bowl and put it over the half that is waiting in my left hand and then seal using additional iced salt water if needed. Put the Ras aside on a tray to take to the barbecue. Some people brush the outside with oil and others leave them as they are.

Shells: Pinch of ball the size of a walnut (approximately). Keeping hands moist and using one finger to hollow out the ball using iced salt water form a hollowed out egg-shaped receptacle and fill with the meat and pine nut mixture. Seal using the ice water. Set aside while making the rest. Fry in hot oil. (Rabia and Ramsay used to take these to school for lunch when I had leftovers after making them on the weekend.)

PER SERVING: 323.0 Calories, 20.2 g Total Fat, 8.7 g Saturated Fat, 62.1 mg Cholesterol, 490.6 mg Sodium, 18.5 g Total Carbohydrate, 4.4 g Dietary Fiber, 17.0 g Protein, 27.1 mg Calcium. Unsure how many it would really serve…if part of a mezza it would be less calories as it would go further.

Kibbi was one of the first foods that Um-Michel made for me. When I would visit the village with Mounah she would start cooking early in the morning and try to make the foods we liked. Later I will write down Mounah's side of our food history so won't go into detail now.

Um-Michel (Tayta Mariana) started making Kibbi for her family when she was 8 or 9 years old. I will never be able to catch up with her! In the winter it was so cold that the suet and spice filling would harden almost as soon as you opened the Kibbi bi Ras. It always tasted perfect and the reason why was because Tayta, Um-Michel, Mariana always made sure it tasted right raw before she cooked it.

I went to a neighbor’s home in the village once for Kibbi and politely ate it even though I didn't like it. The spices were strange and the packaging too thick. Each cook tries to outdo the other but Um-Michel is the one I try to emulate. (written in 1989...and...with Um-Michel now 93 and not making Kibbi at the nursing home someone else in the family will carry on the tradition).

Kibbeh-Kibbi Meat and Nut filling

Makes 16


Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 medium onions finely chopped
1 pound ground lamb (or beef)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon mixed spices (equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Brown nuts in butter and remove with slotted spoon. Cook meat in same pan until raw look disappears. Mix in chopped onions, salt, pepper and spices. Cover and cook till tender and juice is absorbed. (20-25 minutes...or less). Remove from heat and mix in pine nuts.

PER SERVING: 128.5 Calories, 11.0 g Total Fat, 4.6 g Saturated Fat, 26.5 mg Cholesterol, 330.0 mg Sodium, 1.8 g Total Carbohydrate, 0.5 g Dietary Fiber, 5.9 g Protein, 9.8 mg Calcium.

In the village the Ras are often filled with ground spiced suet which melts and flavors the entire serving of kibbi. Quite tasty if the room isn't so cold that the filling hardens before you can eat it. Also no doubt higher in calories.

Potato Kibbeh
This recipe was given to me by my sister-in-law Mouna Barakat. It is a dish used during the Greek Orthodox lent fasting period before Easter.

5 or more cooked potato “crushed” (mashed)
1 large onion, chopped finely or grated
pepper and salt
burghul – 1 cup, dry but washed

Mix all ingredients together, spread in baking pan, top with oil and bake in oven till golden brown on top. This can also be made into patties and fried in oil. To make this lower fat replace the oil with nonstick spray for baking or frying.



Kibbit Batata bis-Sayniyyi
From Lebanese Cuisine by Madelain Farah

1 ½ cups burghul, #2
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sweet basil
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, grated
2 ½ cups mashed potatoes (leftovers, or 4 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed
2 large onions, julienned
2/3 cup oil

Rinse burghul in cold water, squeeze, sprinkle with salt and let stand for 20 minutes. Work seasonings with grated onion and add potatoes, mixing well. Add burghul and knead into soft dough. Moisten hand in cold water while kneading to prevent sticking. (If mixture does not stick together, add ¼ cup of flour. )

Place the julienned onions in the bottom of a 9” square pan. Cover with 1/3 cup oil. Place the potato mixture evenly on top and cut into diamond shapes about ½” deep. Pour the remaining oil on top and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown – about 25 minutes. Serves 6-8.

VARIATION: Use above recipe omitting oil and julienned onions. Form mixture into patties and fry in ½” of oil or put in a well-oiled pan and bake.


Potato and Wheat Loaf – Kibbit Batorta
From Lebanese Cookbook by the Anthony’s

Serves: 8
Cooking time: 45-50 minutes
750 grams (1½ lb) potatoes
2 large onions, ground or grated
1 ½ tablespoons slat
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups bur’ghul
1 cup plain flour
1 cup finely chopped parsley
¼ cup finely chopped mint
1 ½ cups olive or nut oil

Boil the potatoes in their jackets, peel and pound to a paste-like consistency with the ground or grated onion, salt, pepper and ground cinnamon. Knead in the bur’ghul, then the flour. Add the parsley and mint and knead again.

Bake in a baking dish with oil exactly as for Kibbi b’Zait (they refer you to the recipe in their book on page 57…but you can follow the recipe for this or one of the above and get the same results)

Serve cold, either by itself or with salad or bread.


Potato Kibbeh – Kibbet Batata
From Simple Cooking Guide to Lebanese and Syrian Cuisine by Mary Elizabeth Sabieh

1 ½ cups fine cracked wheat
1 small onion, finely graded (sic)
2 teaspoons salt
2 ½ cups cooked potatoes or 4 medium cooked ones
2 large onions, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon dibas roman*
¾ cup olive oil

1. Wash and cook potatoes. Peel and mash, and mix with salt, pepper, and finely graded onion to make mashed potatoes. Then, add washed cracked wheat and blend in food processor to make a smooth mixture.
2. Meanwhile in frying pan, fry the 2 chopped onions until limp, and, then, add the chopped walnuts and debas roman.
3. Grease baking tray with olive oil. Divide mash potato mixture into two portions; flatten half of the potatoes in the tray. Cover it with walnut mixture, and, then, flatten the other half of the mashed potatoes on top. Score in diamond shape design through the kibba. Cover kibba with about 3 tablespoons olive oil.
4. Bake in 400 degrees oven until brown. When cool, cut in diamond or triangle shape pieces to serve. Or In greased baking tray, first add walnut mixture and, then, a full layer of all the mashed mixture. Cover with 3 tablespoons olive oil, and bake until golden brown. When cool invert the tray and serve at room temperature. Walnut mixture will be on top.
Serves 4 to 6

Fish Kibbi
Kibbit Samak or Kibbeh Samak or Kibbee Sameek or Kibbet Samack

Kibbee Sameek (Baked Shrimp Kibbee)
Yasmine Betar’s book

2 cups borghul (soak for 1 hour)
2 lbs ground shrimp (raw) (cleaned) (or any fillet with white abundant meat such as red snapper, white rock, sliver corbina NOT salmon, swordfish, or tuna)
4 medium minced onions
3 tablespoons pine nuts (browned lightly in butter)
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon black pepper ) from peppermill)
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup mint
½ cup pure olive oil (no substitute)

Drain borghul; grind shrimp; combine both. Add spices sprinkling alternately as you are mixing. Moisten hands in cold water. Add minced onions and pine nuts. Knead well keep moistening hands in cold water. Approx. 10 minutes.

Grease baking dish with oil, and make layer of fish and borghul. Press down firmly – the above will be about 1 inch thick. (The pan should be twice the size of a pie plate) Glaze top with olive oil. Cut into diamond shaped squares. Use spatula to work around edges. Perforate several spots in the fish to allow oil to penetrate to bottom of baking dish. Bake 400 F preheated oven; 30 minutes or until browned. Some of the oil will be absorbed. The rest can be drained when ready to serve.

This fish and borghul mixture can also be fried, and boiled. Can be varied in shapes for cocktails or snacks. Basil can be substituted for colves and mint. Also Gisbra(coriander) is used in fish baking. Eliminate cloves and pepper when using gisbra. Gisbra is lemony and spicy in flavor.

Served with eggplant and sesame dressing during fast days; Hot or cold. Snacks or dinner. Store in deep freeze or refrigerator.


Fish Kibba – Kibbet Samack
Mary Sabieh’s book

1 lb fish steak
2 c cracked wheat (very fine)
2 chopped onions
1 c fresh chopped parsley
1 T dried coriander
¼ cup of olive oil
salt
2 onions
¼ cup of pine nuts
2 onions
¼ cup of pine nuts
2 sliced onions

1. Wash cracked wheat until water is clear and, then, squeeze excess water with your hands. Mix with raw fish, grind in meat grinder with dried coriander, 2 onions, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In frying pan, fry diced onions and pine nuts in olive oil until onions are limp.
3. Grease baking dish with olive oil. Then, make a layer of onion and pine nut filling. Cover mixture with fish mixture. Flatten to make a smooth layer and top with 3T of olive oil. Bake in a mod. Oven -350-degrees F-until brown – about 30 minutes.
Invert to platter, the onion mixture will be on top.
HINT: you can make layers as you would when making regular kibba. Divide fish kibba into 2 portions; spread one portion on the bottom, pu onion mixture on top of that and put the second portion above. Cover with olive oil and bake until brown. Cut into individual portions, and serve with lemon squares


Fish Kibbi – Kibbit Sumak
The Anthony’s cookbook

Serves 6-8
Cooking time 35 minutes

1.5 kg (3 lb) jewfish or mackerel fillets
2 medium onions, finely ground
3 t3easpoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1 cup finely chopped parsley
4 cups bur’ghul, washed and drained
¼ cup olive or nut oil
3 medium onions, cut into rings
½ cup pine nuts
¼ teaspoon powdered saffron

Skin the fish fillets and cut into small pieces. Finely grind them in a mincer.
Add the ground onions, salt, pepper, coriander, grated orange peel and chopped parsley. Mix well.
Gradually knead in the bur’ghul, adding a little ice during the process to help bind the mixture.
Put the mixture through the mincer.
Heat the oil in a large baking dish, about 35cm x 30cm (14 in x 12in), and lightly sauté the onion rings and pine nuts.
Remove the pan from the heat, spread the onions and nuts evenly over the bottom and sprinkle with saffron.
Spread a layer of the mixture evenly over the onions to a thickness of approximately 1.24 cm (1/2 in).cut through as in meat kibbi
Bake in a hot oven, 220C (425F), until golden brown – approx 30 minutes.
Serve hot with Spicy Rice for Fish or cold with salads

Spicy Rice for Fish
Ruz Lissumak

For added fish flavour, oil left over from frying fish may be used in this recipe.

Serves 4-6
Cooking time 30 minutes

½ cup olive or nut oil
¼ cup pine nuts
1 cup onions, sliced
2 cups rice, washed and drained
1 teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups boiling water
¼ teaspoon powdered saffron

Heat the oil in a saucepan and lightly fry the pine nuts. Remove and set aside.
Lightly brown the onions in the same oil Add the rice and salt, and sauté for a few minutes.
Pour in the boiling water and saffron. Allow to bubble for a few seconds, cover tightly and turn down to a low simmer. Cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender – approx 20 minutes.
To serve, turn onto a platter, sprinkle with the pine nuts and garnish with fish pieces. Alternatively, serve as an accompaniment to a fish dish.


Kibbeh Samak – Fish Kibbi
From Tess Mallos book

Serves 6
Oven temperature 200C 400F
Cooking time 45050 minutes

Fish Kibbeh:
3 cups fine burghul
1 kg (2lb) white fish fillets
1 large onion
¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
grated rind of 1 orange
3 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper

Filling:
¼ cup olive or other oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 large onions, halved and sliced

To finish:
½ cup olive or other oil

1. Put burghul in a fine sieve and rinse under running water. Press out moisture with back of a spoon. Put aside.
2. Remove skin from fish and any bones present. Chop roughly.
3. Put fish and onion through food grinder using fine screen, or process in food processor.
4. Combine fish and onion with burghul, coriander, parsley, orange rind, salt and pepper to taste. Knead to a firm paste consistency. Mixture may be processed in food processor in 4 lots.
5. In a frying pan heat the ¼ cup oil and brown pine nuts. Remove with a slotted spoon and add onion to pan. Fry gently until transparent. Return pine nuts to pan and remove from heat.
6. Grease a 25 x 30 cm (10 x 12 inch) baking dish with oil and add half the fish kibbi. Spread evenly and top with onion and pine nut mixture.
7. Dot remaining kibbi over filling, then spread evenly with a spatula. This keeps filling in place.
8. cut through in diamond shapes with sharp knife. Pour remaining oil over kibbi and bake in a hot oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

COMMENT FROM CATHY on Fish Kibbi
I would no doubt go to the freezer section of the store, buy some white filets, and then put in an average of the amounts listed above of burghul after hydrating. I would adjust the seasonings after talking to Mounah. I like the idea of having the onions and nuts on top for presentation to others but think it might be fun to try this as burgers/patties and have them as is or perhaps as a sandwich.


May 21, 2004 Addendum
I missed one variation of the recipe for fish kibbi so rather than send it tomorrow sent it with the rest of the recipes today.

Kibbit Samak (Fish Kibbi)
From Madelain Farah’s book

2 c. burghul
1 T. Salt
2 large onions, julienned
½ cup pine nuts
1 ¼ c. oil
1 medium onion, grated
1 T. ground coriander or ½ bunch chopped green coriander
(or 1 T. sweet basil may be substituted)
1 orange rind, grated
1/8 t. pepper
1 ½ lbs. boned white fish

Wash burghul in cold water, squeeze, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Sauté pine nuts in ½ cup oil until golden brown. Add julienned onions and continue sautéing until onions are limp. Set aside.

Thoroughly mix medium grated onion with coriander, grated orange rind and pepper. Grind raw fish. Combine fish with onion mixture, quickly blending with fingers. Add burghul and knead to a dough consistency. Dipping hand in cold water to soften mixture.

Grease a 9” square pan with 1/3 cup oil. Spread a half inch layer of fish kibbi on the bottom of the pan. (It is easier to take a large ball, pat it flat, place it in the pan, and piece kibbi where needed.) Smooth evenly with hand. Spread the sautéed julienned onions and pine nuts evenly on top of the fish mixture. Place the rest of the kibbi mixture on top of the onions, spreading evenly. Score the top layer ½” deep in a diamond-shaped design, one inch apart.

Pour ½ cup of oil evenly over top and bake in 400F oven for 34-45 minutes until golden brown. This is an excellent Lenten dish. Serves 4-6.

VARIATION
The above recipe may be made into patties. Fry or bake in well oiled pan. Omit stuffing.

Holly Gail ,  With Lent gearing up soon there will be a lot of Lenten dishes prepared and one dish will be vegan kibbeh. There is nothing eaten of imbibed before noon and vegan eating through lent for the Greek Orthodox, I think. Some churches have recipes up that sound interesting

Also...from Wikipedia:  Nabulsi may refer to:
* People or things from Nablus, a Palestinian city in the West Bank
* Nabulsi soap
* Nabulsi cheese
* Kanafeh, also known as Knafe Nabulsiyye, a traditional pastry made with Nabulsi cheese (this is delicious)

I wrote to a Yahoo group for years and one year did a whole LOT of recipe gathering adding in tried and true with what I found...this is from that time period. If you have questions on any of the ingredients...feel free to ask