Lebanese Baked Lamb And Potatoes Food

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.

LEBANESE LAMB KEFTA (LAMB KABOBS)

Steps:

• Combine onion, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, mint, salt, 7 spice blend and egg in a bowl. Add lamb and mix well.
• Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Shape each portion around a skewer, forming a log that is about 2 inched wide and 6 inches long. Slightly flatten it so that the center will cook well.
• Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and grill skewers for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until cooked to desired doneness. Serve immediately with pita bread, hummus and tabuleh.
• *For the Lebanese 7 spice blend: mix equal parts of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, fenugreek and ground dry ginger. Mix well and store in an air tight container.

BAKED POTATOES WITH LEBANESE-STYLE BEEF FILLING

Steps:

• Prick the potatoes a few times with a fork and bake them on a rack in the middle of a preheated 450°F. oven for 1 1/2 hours.
• While the potatoes are baking, in a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of the yogurt and in a saucepan simmer the cornstarch mixture and the remaining yogurt, whisking, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic paste, simmer the sauce, whisking, for 2 minutes, and keep it warm, covered. In a skillet cook the walnuts in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are golden, and transfer them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the oil remaining in the skillet cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until it is golden, add the chuck, and brown the meat, breaking up the lumps.
• While the baked potatoes are still warm, halve them lengthwise, scoop out the flesh, leaving crisp shells, and chop coarse the flesh. In the large bowl combine well the walnuts, the chuck mixture, the chopped potato, the cinnamon, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, divide the mixture among the potato shells, and top it with some of the sauce. Bake the potatoes on a baking sheet in the 450°F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is hot, and serve them with the remaining sauce.