Kibbeh – Beef Meatballs like in Lebanon

Kibbeh is the Arabic name for these wonderful beef meatballs coming from Lebanon! These meatballs are special because they contain a filling of ground beef which was the element that pushed to make this recipe! They contain also my favorite spices and this was another parameter to make this recipe! Try them and you will not be disappointed because they are really good! And easy to make! You just need to be well prepared :-) It’s up to you because you really worth these wonderful and absolutely delicious beef meatballs!

In two words:

“Putting children aside will kill them, and the prosperity of the insane will make them lose”

To Start...

difficulty a bit of technique is required
preparation– 45’
cooking - 7’
serves - 6 big meatballs  

Ingredients

for the filling

  • 1/3 onion of medium size
  • ½ teaspoon of olive oil
  • 1/8 rounded teaspoon of allspice
  • just a little bit of cinnamon
  • 15gr of pine nuts
  • 75gr of ground beef (max 5% of fat)
  • a pinch of fleur de sel or coarse salt
  • 5 turn mills of Kampot black pepper

for the meatballs

  • 45gr of bulgur
  • ½ onion of medium size
  • 1/6 cup of fresh mint
  • 225gr of ground beef
  • 2/3 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 1/8 rounded teaspoon of allspice
  • 2 pinches of fleur de sel  or coarse salt
  • 10 turn mills of Kampot black pepper

Steps

before starting

  • Add the bulgur in a bowl and cover it generously with hot water for 30’

for the filling

  • Peel and chisel finely the onion
  • In a mortar, crash some allspice well enough to form a powder and remove 2 times 1/8 rounded teaspoon of powder, reserve 1/8 rounded teaspoon in a small bowl
  • Heat-up a pan and roast the pine nuts until they become slightly brown, having a nice caramel color
  • Remove pine nuts from the pan and clean it with some kitchen paper
  • Add into the hot pan the chopped onion and stir without any oil until it starts to shine
  • Add the olive oil and stir until it becomes a bit brown
  • Add the ground beef and stir with the onion until it’s almost cooked, then add the spices (allspice and cinnamon) and stir a little bit more
  • Add salt and pepper and stir everything together
  • Add the pine nuts and stir again
  • Remove from heat and let them cool down

for the meatballs

  • Drain the bulgur and press-it a little bit to remove the exceedance of water
  • Wash and chisel the mint
  • Peel and slice the onion in large pieces
  • In a bowl of an electric chopper, add:
    • the bulgur
    • the onion
    • the mint
  • Chop everything together until an almost puree is formed
  • Add the ground beef and continue to chop until the mix becomes like a soft cream
  • Add salt and pepper along with the spices (allspice and cumin)
  • Continue to chop until the spices are well absorbed from the mix
  • Take the mix out in a dish
  • Add some cold water in a big shallow plate
  • Cover your palms with cold water
  • Take some of the mix and form a long meatball fitting into your palm
  • Make a short of channel in the middle covering the length of the meatball and fill it generously with some of the filling covering all its length
  • Close the channel all around with the mix in the texture of “cream” and thus form a big long meatball
  • Place it in a dish and repeat; you should form 6 big meatballs and from time to time you need to put water in your hands to help forming the meatballs with using the mix that resembles like a “cream”
  • Add enough oil into a casserole and heat it up
  • Once it’s hot add the meatballs and cook them for 7’, at the end they will be cooked on all sides
  • Once the meatballs are cooked, remove them from heat and place them in a dish covered with kitchen paper to absorb the exceedance of oil
  • Serve immediately with a green salad
  • It’s just marvelous!

Inspiration

This recipe comes from another recipe I found on Olivia’s piece who is presenting their story very well!

This is a dish that it’s usually served in the Middle East and as I adore its spices I decided to make it and I was not disappointed! It’s really good and tasteful even cold!

It’s true that I did not succeed in making the form of the meatballs as we see it on the Internet but I tried my best because I must admit I am not very good when working with my hands! I am better with digital stuff but I still try to make beautiful things even when I am working with my hands :-)

Now it’s up to you to try and make these meatballs because they are really good!

:-)

o-o C'est si bon ! o-o

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