All posts tagged minced meat

Baked kubbeh or is it kibbeh

If you had a hard time pronouncing my Awwameh or hareeseh post titles I thought I would add another middle eastern dish to you list of yummy yet tricky to say dishes.Kibbe, Kibbeh, Kibbi, Kubbeh, Kebbeh is a very famous Levantine dish (If you suffer reading these, I suffer with trying to find the right spelling of these arabic words lol). Kubbeh is served as an appetizer, main dish, party food or even the perfect portable lunch. Kubbeh comes in many shapes, forms and types. Aleppo in Syria is famous for having over 17 types of it! These include kubbeh prepared with sumac , yogurt ,quince , lemon juice, pomegranate sauce, cherry sauce, and other varieties, such as the ,disk kubbeh and the raw kubbeh.

The recipe I am sharing today is for one of the two most famous types of kubbeh , baked kubbeh or kubbeh bel saineh.The other is the fried kubbeh (my favorite type)which I will be sharing with you soon.

Baked kubbeh makes for an elegant dish to serve to friends and family alike. You can serve it with a salad as a main dish or you can make it into smaller portions and serve it as an appetizer.The combination of spices, meat and bulgur is one you should definitely try if you have not already.

For the stuffing

250g beef or lamb mince

2 heaped tablespoons pine nuts or almonds (optional)

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (optional)

1 small, finely chopped onion

Olive oil

Pinch cinnamon, cardamom, all spice

Salt

For the base and top

250 g bulgur wheat

250 g minced beef or lamb

1 medium onion

1/2 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon sumac

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon cumin

zest of one orange (optional)

1 tablespoon bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup olive oil

To make your stuffing:

in a pan or pot saute the onion in olive oil until soft.
Stir in the minced meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, then, as it browns, season with salt and spices.
When the meat has browned all over, and most of its water has been cooked off turn off the heat and allow to cool.

To make the base and top

Soak the bulgur wheat in cold water for an hour (but no longer)
Drain the water off and place the bulgur into a sieve and leave it to drain for 15 minutes
Using a meat grinder to grind the bulgur wheat three times until it is almost a dough.Do the same with the meat and onion.
If you don’t have a meat grinder then pulse the meat, onion, egg, bread crumbs and seasoning in the food processor until it is smooth then add the bulgur gradually to the food processor and pulse until you incorporate the whole amount of the bulgur. (This will take time and you’ll have to scrape down the edges repeatedly)
Knead the meat and bulgur mixture until it is smooth and homogenous

To make your kibbeh:

Grease your baking dish
Get a bowl of water and wet your hands.
Take half of the meat and bulgur mix and spread it in the base of the baking dish.
Spread the stuffing over the base leaving 1 cm (0.5 inch) margin
Spread the other half of the meat and bulgur mix on a piece of parchment paper until it is slightly larger that your pan
Use the parchment to transfer the top onto the baking dish
cut the excess
With your wet hands smooth the top and press from the center to the edges to expel any air trapped between the layers.

Cut in the pattern you like into the kibbeh using a wet knife.

Pour the 1/4 cup of olive oil on top of the kibbeh

Bake in a 180 degree oven for an hour or until the edges are golden brown

place under the broiler until the top is golden brown

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by Sawsan@ Chef in disguise on October 31, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Meat

Tagged baking, Kebbeh, Kibbe, Kibbeh, Kibbi, Kubbeh, lebanese recipes, middle eastern recipes, minced meat, pattern for cutting kubbeh

Posted by Sawsan@ Chef in disguise on October 31, 2011

http://chefindisguise.com/2011/10/31/baked-kubbeh-or-is-it-kibbeh/

Daring cooks April 2011 challenge…edible containers

This is my first daring cooks challenge and I am thrilled it is finally reveal day. I really loved the challenge and the company of all those wonderfully talented daring cooks. I am in awe of the amount of creativity and talent they all had not to mention good and kind spirit.

Renata of Testado, Provado & Aprovado! was our Daring Cooks’ April 2011 hostess. Renata challenged us to think “outside the plate” and create our own edible containers! Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 17th to May 16th at http://thedaringkitchen.com!

My deepest thanks go out to Renata for a wonderful challenge and for her support and kindness. She had something nice and encouraging to say to every participant and believe me there were MANY..

My first idea was a recipe I make quite often. Zucchini boats stuffed with minced meat and cooked in tahini mint sauce. The recipe comes from a wonderful lady called Taghreed from lakii.com and it has become a staple in my kitchen. The tahini adds a tang and a different dimension to the mild zucchini while the mint adds freshness and color

Zucchini boats

5 medium zucchini

250 gms minced meat (I used beef)

1 chopped onion

Salt

1/2 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

2 teaspoons dried mint

4 tablespoons tahini

juice of one lemon

2 cups water or chicken stock

Cut your zucchini in half length wise. Place them in a pot full of water, add a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. (You want to cook them half way because they will finish cooking in the oven)

Drain the zucchini and use a teaspoon to hollow the center of each zucchini leaving the rim intact

Arrange your boats in a pan

Put the minced meat in a pan and on medium heat stir to break it down, once the meat starts to release its fluids and change color add the salt, and seasoning then add the onions. Stir occasionally till the fluids almost dry up. Add 1 table-spoon of olive oil and stir for a few minutes. Add 1 teaspoon dried mint and turn off the heat.

Fill your zucchini boats with the meat mix

In a bowl add lemon juice to the tahini and stir. At first it will be flowy but then it will change color and thicken.

Add 1 teaspoon dried mint and a pinch of salt then add hot water or chicken stock and stir till the tahini is completely dissolved then carefully pour it over the zucchini

Cover in tim foil and place on the lowest rack of a 180C oven for 20-30 minutes. (You want the zucchini to cooks through and the tahini sauce to thicken)

Serve with rice and enjoy

Next up was an adaptation of a turkish dish called Hasan basha kofta, I was first introduced to this by an amazing lady called Roza and after a few tweaks and changes it became a family favorite

Minced meat

1 onion minced

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used bread crumbs with italian seasoning)

1 egg

1/3 cup BBQ sauce

For the Duchess potatoes

2 big potatoes peeled and cut into cubes

1 egg

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon mustard

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon all spice

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk

1 clove garlic

In a bowl mix the minced meat with the onion, egg, bread crumbs BBQ sauce and knead with your hands till homogenous (if you fill the mix is too soft add another 1/4 cup bread crumbs)

Divide the meat mix into balls and form them into cup-shaped containers, arrange then in an oil sprayed pan

Place the potatoes in a pot, fill it with water then add the garlic and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook till the potatoes are done.

Drain the potatoes, add the seasoning , butter, milk and mash the potatoes.

Add the mustard and the cheese then the egg and mix till completely incorporated

Using a piping bag fill your meat cups with the potatoes then sprinkle with paprika

place in the lower rack of a 200 C oven till the meat is golden brown on the bottom

Add the tomato juice and place back in the oven for 20 minutes

Serve with a salad and enjoy

My next recipe comes from BBC goodfood and I have had it bookmarked for ever because it contained some of my favorite ingredients namely pepper, oregano and halloumi.

The result didn’t disappoint me, in fact it turned out to be a marvelous combination of the smoky charred pepper, the tangy lemon, the slighty salty olives, the woody earthy oregano and then there is the halloumi. If you have never tried halloumi before I strongly recommend it. It is a wonderful cheese with a unique flavour and it stands heat well which means it holds it shape after grilling or frying.

I made a few changes to the recipe, I used stuffed green olives instead of regular ones. I also grilled the halloumi cheese before placing it in the pepper wrapper. I skipped the chili because I can’t stand the heat..

2 red peppers

100 block halloumi cheese , sliced into 4

oregano

Chopped stuffed green olives

1 lemon , zest and juice

Grill or roast the red peppers whole until they begin to soften. You need them soft enough to wrap the cheese

Place the pepper in a bowl and cover with a plastic wrap and allow it to steam for 10 minutes this will make it much easier to peel

Open out each red pepper by making a cut down one side and trim the tops and bottoms off so you end up with a strip.

Place your halloumi strips in an oil sprayed pan and grill them on both sides till they are golden brown

Put a slice of halloumi in the center of each strip. Sprinkle over some lemon zest and juice, oregano and olives , then roll the red pepper around the halloumi.

It doesn’t matter if the cheese sticks out at each end. Tie the rolls with green onions and press down with the palm of your hand so they flatten slightly.

Last but definitely not least are these Ozi packages. They are pillows of crunchy puff pastry stuffed with a mixture of vegetables, meat and rice. It is a presentable dish when you’re having company and a great way to use left over rice when you are all alone, just add the vegetables and meat and stuff your puff pastry and dinner is 20 minutes away.

Serve with yogurt, a salad or both and you’re set for a satisfying meal that is loaded with color, flavor and textures.

1 Package puff pastry dough

one cup of rice

1 and 1/2 cups of water or chicken stock

Frozen mixed vegetables (I used peas and carrots)

200 gm beef cut into small cubes

olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1 egg white beaten with some water

Wash the rice and soak in in water for 15 minutes.

Place the olive oil in a pan and add the meat and stir occasionally untill it is done.

Remove the meat from the pan and add the vegetables, saute for 5-7 minutes.

Add the meat back to the pan then add the drained rice, salt and seasoning.

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water or chicken stock and allow to come to a boil then lower the heat and cover the pan for 10 to 15 minutes or untill the rice soaks up all the water.

Keep it covered for 10 minutes then fluf it with a fork

Roll your puff pastry and divide it into squares

Use a deep round dish for a mold. Place the dough then add the stuffing then close the edges as is shown in the picture and make sure you pinch them together or seal them together with some egg whites.