Vegetarian Potato Kibbe (Kibbet Batata) Recipe

There is a wide variety of Kibbe recipes in Lebanon. It can be made by mixing bulgur with meat, or with pumpkin and even with potato like the one I made today. The bulgur is always the main ingredient of all kinds of Kibbe, it should be fine and brown color. This recipe is vegetarian, which makes it suitable for Lent. The major ingredients are simple, based on bulgur, potato and onion, but it needs a lot to spices and flavors.

Ingredients:

4 potatoes
1 cup of fine brown bulgur
2 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon seven spices
1 small onion grated

Ingredients for the filling:

3 large onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon 7 spices
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 tablespoon sumac
1/2 teaspoon caraway
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Boil the unpeeled potatoes in a saucepan with salted water, until they becomes tender

When the potatoes are cold peel then mash them

Wash the bulgur and drain it from the excess water

Mix the mashed potatoes with bulgur, the grated onion, the flour, salt and the spices; mix by hand very well until smooth

Cut the onion of the filling into fine strips and mix with all the spices

Preheat the oven to 180 C

Grease an oven pan with little of olive oil until you cover the bottom

With wet hands place a thin layer of the potato Kibbe mixture and flatten it

Place the filling of onion and cover it with another thin layer of potato Kibbe

Wet a knife and cut the Kibbe into a square or diamond pattern

Drizzle the remaining of the olive oil on the top

Bake for about 30 minutes in the oven, until the top becomes a nice golden color

Serve with a green salad for better taste

Note:

You can also shape the potato Kibbe in a small ball; stuff it with the onion and close the ball forming a flat circle. Fry it in a deep frying pan. It is also DELICIOUS.

Stuffed Vine Leaves in Oil ( Warak Inab Bilzeit) Recipe

This is a vegetarian recipe, and I must say that Stuffed Vine leaves in Olive Oil is an essential dish from our rich Lebanese Mezze. It is so delicious and light that you can easily eat a small plate alone before having your main meal.

Ingredients:

100 grams of vine leaves, blanched and ready to cook ( you can use the preserved ones too)
1/2 cup of short grain rice
2 tablespoons of parsley, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium red tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seven spices
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil+ one extra tablespoon for cooking
your choice of thinly sliced vegetable, such as onion, tomato, carrot or even potato (I used sliced onions)

Preparation:

Prepare the stuffing by mixing the washed rice with the parsley, onion, tomato, salt, spices lemon juice and the olive oil well

Place a vine leave face down and stuff it with one teaspoon of the mixture of rice for filling in the center, fold the two sides toward the center then roll it in a cigar shape

When you finish all the quantity of the vine leaves and stuffing, prepare the pot, place the tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the pot, cover the base of the pot with your choice of sliced vegetable, place all the stuffed vine leaves in the pot

Pour water to cover the vine leaves by about one inch, place a plate upside down over them to prevent the vine leaves from opening during cooking. Adjust the salt and lemon as desired

Cook on a medium heat and when it starts boiling reduce the fire and let it cook gently for about 25 minutes until the rice is cooked and tender

Turn upside down on a plate and it’s ready to serve

Fatteh al-betenjane (Eggplant Casserole) Recipe

The word fatteh means "to crumble" in Arabic and this is the idea behind this dish. Bread that is somewhat stale is crumbled, toasted, and layered with a variety of ingredients including a yogurt sauce and some fried pine nuts.

This fatteh is an eggplant and minced lamb version. It can easily be converted to a vegetarian dish by omitting the meat and replacing it with coarsely ground walnuts. There are at least ten versions of fatteh in Lebanese cuisine: chickpea fatteh, chicken fatteh, lamb fatteh, kafta fatteh, stuffed eggplant fatteh, lamb feet fatteh, lamb tongue fatteh, etc. Fatteh is a popular brunch dish especially in the coastal city of Tripoli in Lebanon.

Recipe By Joumana Accad

Ingredients

1 pound of eggplants
3/4 pounds of minced lamb or beef (meat can be omitted and replaced with ground walnuts)
¼ cup of pomegranate molasses
1 small can of tomato sauce (8 ounces)
Olive oil, as needed
3 pita breads
½ cup of pine nuts
Spices: salt, seven-spice, sumac
1 teaspoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of oil
3/4 pound of yogurt (full or low-fat)
8 cloves of garlic (or to taste)
1 generous tablespoon of tahini

Directions

Peel the eggplants and cut in small cubes. Sprinkle generously with salt and place in a sieve over a bowl; let the salt draw out the bitter juices for several hours if possible (you will get at least one cup of dark water).

Brown the minced lamb in a skillet. Break it into small pieces with two wooden spoons, add some spices: I added salt, ½ teaspoon of sumac and 1 teaspoon of seven-spice mix. Stir and cook until browned. Then transfer to a sieve and let the meat drain its grease.

Cut the pita breads with kitchen scissors into tiny croutons, place in a Ziploc bag, add a tablespoon of olive oil and toss. When the croutons are shiny, transfer to a cookie sheet lined with foil and bake in a 300°F oven till dry, golden and very crunchy.

Dry the eggplant with paper towels; pour two or three tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and when hot, pan-fry the eggplants stirring from time to time until they release their flavor, get soft and browned a bit. Transfer the eggplant to the skillet with the minced meat and add ¼ cup of pomegranate molasses and a cup of tomato sauce. Cook the mixture over medium heat for 20 minutes or so, and let the sauce reduce by one half until the remaining mixture is moist but not too soupy.

Melt a teaspoon of butter and one of oil (if using clarified butter, don't bother with the oil) and fry the pine nuts until caramel-colored. Drain on a paper towel.

Mix the yogurt with a generous tablespoon of tahini (optional, but adds a nice nutty taste) and ½ teaspoon of mashed garlic (mash the garlic with a dash of salt in a mortar).

ASSEMBLY: Place the meat and eggplant mixture on a platter, still warm. Cover with the yogurt, then top with the croutons and pine nuts.

How to Make Fish Vegetarian Kibbeh: a Promise of Delight!

Fish Kibbeh is a delight of vegetarian meal that has the bonus of being fulfilling yet light. It ensued as a healthier and lighter version of the original meat Kibbeh our cuisine is well-known for. I believe that an overview on Kibbeh is in order here.

Ingredients

Servings:  8 portions

500 gr Fish Filet

FOR THE STUFFING
2 Kg Potatoes
1 medium Onion
1/2 bouquet Fresh Cilantro
4 cloves small Garlic
2 tbsps Croutons
4 tbsps Lemon Juice
2 tbsps Walnuts
1 tsp Salt
Vegetable Oil
White Pepper
Black Pepper

TO GARNISH
1 medium Tomato
Lettuce Hearts

Steps

1 PREPARING THE CILANTRO MIXTURE

1- In a pan, over medium-high heat, pour the 2 tbsp of oil and mix in the chopped cilantro and mashed garlic.
2- Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the cilantro wilted.
3- Put aside.

2 PREPARING THE FISH

1- Preheat oven to 250°C ( approx. 482°F).
2- Season both sides of the fish pieces with some salt and white pepper.
3- Place them in a non-stick oiled pan in the oven.
4- Bake for 20 minutes.
5- Flip them gently, and bake for another 10 minutes.

3 MAKING THE FISH MIXTURE

1- Preheated oil and fry the sliced onions until golden.
2- Meanwhile, mix the cilantro mixture with lemon juice and walnuts.
3- Season with salt, white pepper and black pepper.
4- Part the fish in smaller pieces and add them and the mixture on the frying onions.
5- Mix very well, and cook on low heat for 5 minutes while stirring.
6- Put aside to cool.

4 THE KIBBEH: HERE WE GO!

1- Preheat your oven to 250C to ready it for the next phase.
2- Divide the smashed potatoes in 2 parts.
3- Lay one part in a non-stick, oiled baking pan, covering all the surface.
4- Spread over the fish stuffing.
5- Lay the 2nd part of the potatoes on top. (See below for the easier way to do this part).
6- Add a layer of smashed croutons all over the surface.

5 NOTE: HOW TO BEST WORK THE 2ND POTATO'S LAYER.

1- Divide the 2nd part of the smashed potatoes in various balls.
3- Flatten each between your palms, and place them side by the side on top of the fish stuffing until all is covered.
4- Damp your hands and gently dub it all to close the gaps then to spread the layer as equally as possible.

6 BAKING & SERVING

1- Place the pan of Kibbeh in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
2- Switch the heat to the upper top and bake for 5 more minutes to golden the surface.
3- Serve the Kibbeh from the oven to the table and cut when serving on the plates.

NOTE: You may also cut it in 8 equal rectangles and place them on a serving plate.

Serve hot or warm.

7 DECORATING THE PLATE (OPTIONAL)

PRESENTATION TIP:

1- While the Kibbeh is baking, I cut a medium-size tomato into a flower-shape, and prepare some lettuce hearts for the decoration.

2- When the Kibbeh pieces are placed on the serving plate, I gather some of the smallest lettuce hearts around the tomato, and place the set on the center between the pieces of Kibbeh.
I then add some lettuce hearts on both sides of the plate.

Lettuce hearts could be substituted with similar greenery of your choice. Be elegantly creative!

Batenjan Makdous (Preserved Eggplants in Olive Oil) Recipe

by ninabaydoun

I’m going to show you how to preserve eggplants, using a recipe I learned from my mother-in-law years ago. It takes about ten days for the Makdous to have been pickled properly. After it has been prepared, the eggplants can be eaten as a appetizer, side dish or can even  be put in a sandwich alone. You will find many ways to enjoy it by playing on your own. Personally, I like to eat it for dinner with labneh (yoghurt) and cheese on the side; it makes for a lovely and easy to prepare dinner.

Ingredients:

1 kg baby eggplant
200 grams whole nut
about 15 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon rock salt
1 teaspoon chili paste (optional)
about 4 cups olive oil

Preparation:

1. Wash the eggplants, remove the stem
2. Place the eggplants in a pot full of water, leave it on fire for about 10 minutes (not more); the skin of the eggplants when tested should be soft
3. When the eggplants are cooked place in a strainer and wash with cold water. Make a small slit lengthwise in the eggplant, sprinkle with salt, put them back in the strainer, slit facing down, place a weight over them and leave it for about two days. This helps any remaining water to come out of the eggplants

4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by roughly crushing the nuts and mixing it with garlic, salt and chili paste if desired
5. With you thumb widen the slit, fill each eggplant with a spoon from the nut garlic mixture

6. Place the filled eggplants in a jar, turn the jar upside down on a plate at a certain angle to release the remaining water, leave it for 2 days until no more juice comes out from it

7. Return the jar after 2 days to upright position, and fill it with olive oil. After five days the eggplants are ready to be consumed

Lebanese Raw Kibbe Recipe – Kibbeh Nayyeh

Kibbe Nayyeh stands for “raw Kibbe”, Kibbe being the patties made from ground meat, burghul (cracked weat) and spices.

Learn How to Make Raw Kibbe Nayyeh Like a Pro. This recipe is an Authentic and Traditional Version of the Lebanese Kibbe Nayyeh (spicy raw ground meat).

Raw Kibbeh (Nayyeh) Ingredients (4 servings)

1 lb of lean goat leg meat (no fat), frozen for 2 weeks prior
1/2 cup of fine Burghul (cracked wheat)
1 small white onion
1/3 green/bell pepper (optional, but preferred)
20 leaves green mint
10 leaves of green Marjoram (Mardakoush) (optional, but preferred)
1/2 teaspoon of 7-spices
1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper
2/3 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
High quality olive oil

Optional sides of greens, including green onions, white onions, radish, mint, pickled chilli pepper etc…

Kibbeh Nayyeh Preparation Method

1. Freeze the meat for 2 weeks if possible, in order to age it and to help eliminating any typical raw meat contamination. When ready to prepare the dish, place the frozen meat in the fridge for 2-3 hours to thaw it half way.

2. When the meat is halfway thawed, place it in a food processor along with about 5 cubes of ice, 1/5 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (no more) and spin it for about 3-5 minutes until it becomes very fine. Important: stop the food processor every 1 minute or so and feel the temperature of the meat and make sure it’s not warming up otherwise its color and taste would change. If you feel that it’s warming up, add a bit more ice or 1/4 cup of icy water and spin again.

3. Place the Burghul in a small bowl and rinse it with cold water, then squeeze it to get rid of as much water as possible. Place it aside.

4. Put the green pepper, mint, marjoram, onion, salt, cayenne pepper and 7-spices in the food processor and mix them well.

5. Place the ground meat in a large bowl, add the wet Burghul and the spice mix, and mix it well with your hands for a few minutes to make sure that all ingredients have well infused in one another. While mixing it, you can wet your hands every now and then in bowl of icy water that has a tiny bit of ground cinnamon in it.

Serving And Presenting the Kibbeh Nayyeh

1. Kibbe Nayyeh needs to be served cold, so you need to keep the dish in the fridge until serving time.

2. When ready, make the Kibbe mix into balls the size of a baseball and line them up along your serving dish.

3. Spread the kibbe on the dish with your hands or spoon, until it’s no more than 3/4 inch thick. Make some patterns on it if you wish.

4. Add tons of high quality olive oil on it.
Serve with optional sides including: mint, radish, green peppers, green chilli peppers, hot peppers, green onions, white onions etc.

5. Kibbe Nayyeh can be eaten with a fork or wrapped in pita bread.

6. We hope you enjoyed this recipe, and you now learned how to make Kibbe Nayyeh like a pro 🙂 We’d love to get your feedback and comments on it.

Preparation time: 1 hour(s) 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 40 minute(s)
Diet tags: Raw
Number of servings (yield): 4
Culinary tradition: Middle Eastern
Copyright © Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen.