Kibbee Nyi Raw Kibbee Food

LEBANESE RAW KIBBEH RECIPE - MAKE KIBBEH NAYYEH AT HOME

Steps:

• Since we're going to be eating it raw, freeze the meat for 2 weeks prior to making the dish if possible in order to reduce typical raw meat contamination and bacteria. Also try to buy quality local, fresh meat whenever possible.
• Partially thaw the meat for 6 hours in the fridge prior to preparing the dish.
• Place the Bulgur in a small bowl and rinse it with cold water, then drain and squeeze to get rid of as much water as possible.
• Put the meat in a food processor along with about 5 cubes of ice and half of the cinnamon and spin it for about 3-5 minutes until it becomes very fine. Important: stop the processor every minute or so and feel the meat to ensure it's not warming up. If it is, add a bit more ice cubes and spin. Once done, set aside in a large bowl.
• To make the spice mix, put the green pepper, mint, marjoram, onion, salt, chili powder and 7-spices in the food processor and mix them well.
• Add the Bulgur, spice mix on top of the meat and knead well for a few minutes to make sure that all ingredients have integrated well.
• Immediately after the kneading, place the Kibbeh Nayyeh in a serving plate and flatten it making symmetric dents in it with the edge of a spoon for show.
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and fresh mint leaves on top.
• Serve cold along a side of pita bread, and a veggie plate which may include white onions, green onions, chili peppers, mint, salty chili pepper pickles etc...

KIBBEE NYI (RAW KIBBEE)

Steps:

• Do not use purchased ground meat if you can avoid it.
• Even extra lean has too much fat in it.
• Wash bulghur and soak in hot water for about 30 minutes.
• Drain well, and squeeze dry.
• Trim fat and sinew from the meat, cut in chunks, and run through a grinder, using the finest plate.
• Grind onion and mint, and in a large bowl, thoroughly mix with meat and spices.
• Run mixture through the grinder again, and knead the olive oil into the mixture; if it feels too dry add a little water, and continue to knead.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes for flavors to develop, adjust seasonings, and knead again to combine thoroughly.
• Mound on a shallow serving dish, pat down, and smooth the top and sides, using a little water on your hands to help.
• Coat top lightly with olive oil, or if desired, drizzle melted butter over meat, and coat evenly.
• Serve with pita bread or leaves of Romaine lettuce for scooping.
• In addition to being to being delicious as is, raw, Kibbee Nyi is the basis for many cooked kibbee dishes, a few of which will be submitted separately.

KIBBEE BIL SINEEYAH (BAKED KIBBEE)

Steps:

• Since your grinder is already dirty from making the raw kibbee, you might as well grind your own meat for the stuffing, but don't grind it too fine; use the medium plate, or even the coarse one, and once through is enough.
• Brown crumbled meat in 1 Tbsp butter, stirring occasionally.
• Add onion, and saute until it is translucent.
• Brown the pine nuts in 1 Tbsp of butter until very browned, but not quite burnt.
• Add pine nuts and ketchup to meat and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Brush some melted butter on sides and bottom of a 9"x13"x2" baking pan.
• Spread half of the kibbee evenly over the bottom of the pan.
• Spread stuffing evenly over kibbee, and spread second half of kibbee over this.
• Dip hand in water and smooth out top layer.
• Before baking, cut into diamond shapes.
• Spread melted butter over top of kibbee, and sprinkle with water.
• Bake at 425oF for 35 minutes or until top is browned.
• Separate into diamond pieces, and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold, as part of a meza appetizer assortment.

KIBBEH NAYYEH

Steps:

• Puree the onion in a food processor, adding a little salt and pepper. Rinse the bulgur in a sieve under cold running water and squeeze out the excess moisture. Add it to the onion, blend thoroughly, and pour out of the work bowl.
• Now process the meat to a soft paste, adding a little salt and pepper. Add the onion-and-bulgur mixture and process again, adding a little iced water gradually (start with 1/4 cup), just enough to achieve a soft paste. Continue to process, in batches if you like, or knead with your hands to a smooth, elastic, doughy consistency. Chill in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled, spread thinly on a flat glass or china serving plate. Drizzle generously with oil and garnish with a few mint leaves.
• Accompany with trimmed scallions and a bowl of small romaine lettuce, and serve with Arab bread.
• You may like to spice the kibbeh mixture with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon allspice, and a good pinch of ground chili pepper or cayenne. I have become very fond of that. You can also have a squeeze of lemon juice over the top with the olive oil.
• Another way of serving kibbeh nayyeh is to roll the meat mixture into small, thin fingers and place each one in the cup of a small romaine or Bibb lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with olive oil and lemon juice, or with tamarind diluted in a little water, and garnish with chopped scallions and a dusting of paprika or ground chili pepper.
• Proportions of meat and wheat can be varied, and quantities reversed.
• A marvelous spicy version from Gaziantep, in southeastern Turkey, called çig köfte is so full of wheat and has so many spices that you can hardly tell the raw-meat content. Pour boiling water over 1 1/4 cups bulgur and soak for 1/2 hour. Drain, press all the excess water out, and mix with 2 grated onions. Blend 1/2 pound lean lamb to a paste in a food processor. Add the bulgur and grated onions and the following: 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground chili pepper or cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, and 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley. Blend to a homogenous paste. Serve spread on a dish sprinkled with parsley and lemon juice, or rolled into little balls.

KIBBEE LEBANESE STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square baking dish.
• Soak bulgur in hot water until the bulgur expands and cools, about 10 minutes. Place the bulgur, mint, allspice, pepper, cinnamon, salt, onion, parsley, and lamb in a food processor. Process until well mixed, about 1 minute. Divide the lamb mixture and layer half in the baking dish, creating a large patty. Sprinkle pine nuts over the meat, then layer the remaining lamb on top, patting firmly. Cut the kibbee into 1 1/2 inch squares.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the lamb is no longer pink in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

KIBBEE

Steps:

• Soak the cracked wheat in cold water. Drain and dry. Chop the onions very fine and blend with the ground lamb, the wheat and the seasonings. Pound and knead the mixture thoroughly. You may put it through the meat grinder, if you wish, and knead it again, adding a little ice water as you work. It should become a paste.
• Form into small balls and serve raw with cocktails. Or form into small round patties, with a chip of ice in the center of each. Brush the patties well with oil and broil.

AUNT LOUISE'S BAKED KIBBEH

Steps:

• Place bulgur in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir 1/4 cup onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, basil, and pepper into the bulgur. Add ground beef and 1/2 pound lamb; mix well. Divide mixture into 2 portions. Pat 1 portion over the bottom of a 12x7-inch baking dish.
• Pat the other portion into a matching rectangle on a piece of waxed paper. Set aside for the top.
• Cook and stir remaining 1/4 cup onion and 1/2 pound lamb in a skillet until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease from the skillet. Stir in pine nuts and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon lamb-pine nut mixture over the meat layer in the baking dish.
• Invert top layer over the filling. Peel off waxed paper. Score top layer into diamond shapes by cutting diagonally in both directions, leaving about 3 inches between cuts. Press a small dab of butter into the middle of each diamond.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and mint.