Baked Lebanese Kibbeh with Simple Fattoush
I love Lebanese food. Back when I lived in Royal Oak, Michigan and attended Genesis: the Church when it was in its infancy, I used to go with friends after the Sunday night service to a Lebanese restaurant downtown for kibbeh and fattoush. Those times are among my favorite memories; I’d survived the toughest season of my life thus far, was walking with God in a way I never had before and trying to figure out what He wanted for my life. It was a good, sweet, rich season filled with growth and friendship. I miss it sometimes, with a sharp longing that brings quick tears to my eyes. Like the other seasons of my twenties and early thirties, in hindsight it seems to have passed too quickly.
But back to the food. Lebanese is one of my favorite genres, one I don’t have very often (for someone who grew up in Africa, E isn’t very interested in “exotic” foods – he prefers good old American fare). I love these recipes for their simplicity and ease, and the fact that they mean I can make my own Lebanese food at home any time I like. They’re healthy, too, as most Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food is.
If you’ve never had kibbeh, it is a highly seasoned mixture of ground meat and soaked grains. You can make it with lamb or beef, or a mixture of the two. You can eat it raw, you can bake or broil it, or you can roll it in breadcrumbs and fry it. This recipe is baked, as I don’t generally eat raw meat, and baking is one of the healthier options. The spices, more than anything else, make it what it is.
Fattoush is a traditional Lebanese salad made with fresh vegetables and bits of toasted pita tossed in a sweet vinaigrette and flavored with sumac. It goes incredibly well with the kibbeh.
When I found these two recipes in two different cookbooks within a few days of each other, I simply had to put them together into a meal. They complemented each other wonderfully, as though they were meant to be together in the first place. It was a happy coincidence.
Note: for a gluten-free version, try using quinoa instead of the bulgur.
Baked Lebanese Kibbeh with Simple Fattoush
Adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark and
Aida Mollenkamp’s Keys to the Kitchen
For the kibbeh:
1 cup bulgur
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons kosher or fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste
2 pounds ground lamb or beef, or a mixture of the two
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
olive oil
pita, naan, or other flatbread for serving (I like Trader Joe’s Mediterranean flatbread, or the fresh naan sold in the bread section at Costco)
sliced onion, tomatoes, and/or cucumbers
For the fattoush:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, finely minced
2 teaspoons dried sumac (available online or at stores that sell a wide range of spices, like Penzey’s and Williams-Sonoma)
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
2 tablespoons unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine grain sea salt
2 small or 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 roma or plum tomato, chopped
2 Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and sliced
6 radishes, sliced very thin
1/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 cups crumbled pita chips
1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
Place the bulgur in a large bowl with cold water to cover. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes, but check frequently to make sure there is still water above the grains. If needed, add more water.
In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside to allow the garlic to infuse the yogurt.
While the bulgur is still soaking, prep the salad dressing. In a bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the minced shallot, sumac, honey or agave, pomegranate juice, red wine vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste, and adjust ingredients to suit yourself. The dressing should be tangy but still a little sweet.
Pour the soaked bulgur into a fine mesh sieve and drain, using a spoon to press the grains against the mesh and remove as much of the water as possible.
Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with foil. Spray or brush the surface generously with olive oil.
In a large bowl, combine the drained bulgur, ground beef/lamb, chopped onion, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Use your hands to mix well, as you would meatloaf.
Shape into croquettes (small, football-shaped loaves) about the length of your palm. Place on the baking sheet a few inches apart. Place in the oven, and bake until browned on top and cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.
While the kibbeh is baking, assemble the salad. Toss the romaine, vegetables, and pita bits with the dressing. Top with the cheese.
Serve the kibbeh on flatbread with sliced onion, tomato, and cucumber and the garlic yogurt, and the fattoush on the side.
Serves 6-8, but recipes can be halved easily to serve 3-4 people.
Here’s the printable. Enjoy!
