I love kibbeh but have never bothered to make them before. I guess when you live in a city that has so many wonderful Middle Eastern restaurants you kind of get lazy. I don't know what possessed me to make kibbeh the other day, but I suspect it had something to do with the half a kilo of lamb mince that was starring at me when I opened the fridge trying to figure out what to make for dinner.

I served the kibbeh with a simple yogurt sauce and some fragrant nut rice. Now before you get ahead of yourself and ask for the rice recipe I just want to say that I promise to post the recipe tomorrow - truly I will. It's been a little more hectic than usual around here this week with Hoover recovering from a rather nasty chest infection and in the midst of all the clamor there is an animal costume to organise for Fussy to wear to the book week parade at school this Friday.

It's times like this that I wish I had paid more attention to mum as a young girl and learnt how to sew, crochet or knit. If only I had a tenth of Amanda, Nikki, Pip or Claire's ability. Sure I can cook and bake and I can now make really good kibbeh, but I'm feeling a little out of my depth when it comes to safari animal costumes for book week.


 
Minced Lamb Kibbeh with Toasted Pine Nut & Cinnamon Butter

Adapted from Saha: A chef's journey through Lebanon & Syria 2005

Ingredients

For the Kibbeh

500g lean organic lamb, minced

200g fine burghul

1 onion, very finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

Salt and pepper to taste


For the Toasted Pine Nut & Cinnamon Butter

180g unsalted butter, softened

80g pine nuts, lightly toasted

2 tsp cinnamon

1/s tsp sea salt



Method

1. Soak the burghul in cold water for 10 minutes and then drain. Then with your hands squeeze out the excess water and tip the bulgur into a mixing bowl.

2. Add the minced lamb to the burghul with the onion, garlic, spices and salt and pepper and mix everything together with your hands. Place the bowl in the fridge for half and hour to chill.

3. Meanwhile add all the ingredients to the softened butter and mix together until well combined. Place the butter mixture on a piece of greaseproof paper and roll it into a log shape about 3cm wide and refrigerate until it's firm.

4. To make the kibbeh, divide the lamb mixture into 20 pieces. Cut the pine nut and cinnamon butter into 20 x 5mm slices. Roll each kibbeh into a ball and stick your thumb into the ball to create a cavity that you can then slip the butter into. Seal the kibbeh and with moistened hands smooth the kibbeh into a rounded pattie. Leave the stuffed kibbeh on tray in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.

5. You can either shallow fry the kibbeh in some olive oil until they are golden brown all over or alternatively you can bake them in the over at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 20 minutes. Serve them piping hot with plain yogurt and some fragrant nut rice (I promise to post the recipe tomorrow)!