April 9, 2009
Wheat Berry Lamb Kibbeh
Sara Jones, Tucson CSA
This is a Lebanese dish that traditionally uses bulgur wheat. I
took some liberties in the translation and used cooked, ground
wheat berries instead of the bulgur, but the results are similar
and delicious. It’s a great way to stretch a little bit of meat into a
lot for a crowd. You can form the mixture into small patties or
sausage shapes, or press it into the bottom of a pan and cut after
baking. It is great served with plain yogurt mixed with a little
bit of lemon juice and chile paste, and/or the cilantro chutney
recipe that follows.
1 pound ground lamb (or beef)
1/2 bunch green onions, greens and base, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, mint or oregano)
2 cups cooked wheat berries, ground into small pieces in food
processor or blender
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. To get the right
texture, you need to really work the ground meat, squeezing it
through you fingers, to distribute the fat. Once the wheat is well
incorporated, form your patties or press mixture into a well oiled
baking dish. Bake in an oven at 375, from15-30 minutes,
depending on thickness. Kibbeh is done when no longer pink
inside. Serve over hot pita bread with yogurt sauce or chutney.