Kibbeh with Cucumber-Yogurt Salad

Kibbeh is a very traditional Lebanese dish, and for many Lebanese people, like my dad, it is the ultimate in comfort food. Serve it up as a main course, or prepare smaller versions and serve them as an exotic appetizer.

Makes 8 servings

For Cucumber-Yogurt Salad:

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
¾ cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
¾ cup packed mint leaves, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For Kibbeh:

1¾ cups of fine bulgur wheat
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds of lean ground lamb, or lean ground beef
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup dried currants
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the salad, combine cucumber, yogurt, walnuts, mint, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

To make the kibbeh, cover bulgur wheat completely with cold water in a large bowl and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing excess water out with your hands. Transfer back to bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor combine 1 onion, salt, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, and ground lamb, Pulse using the metal blade attachment until the mixture becomes fine. Add meat mixture, along with pine nuts and currants, to the bowl of bulgur wheat and knead with your hands until well combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Remove the lamb mixture from refrigerator and divide into 8 patties, about the same size as a hamburger. To fry the kibbeh, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Working in two batches, lay the patties into the hot oil and cook them approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. To bake the kibbeh, heat oven to 425° F and arrange the patties on a large oiled baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes, until fully cooked. Serve kibbeh on a large platter with cucumber-yogurt salad on the side