RECIPE - Kibbeh (Quibe)

In fact, this post should probably be entitled "RECIPES - Kibbeh (Quibe)" since it's got not one, but three!, recipes for Brazilian versions of the ground-meat-plus-bulgur meatball called kibej, kibbeh, kibe, quibe. This dish has as many spelling variations as it does recipes!

These recipes essentially vary in the way that the finely-ground mixture of meat and wheat is cooked (or not cooked, as the case may be.) The ingredient list is similar for all three recipes, although not identical, but once everything is combined, the mix is alternatively deep-fried, baked, or served as-is (raw). Obviously, the raw version - call it quibe tartare - is one for which you want to have an absolutely trustworthy source of meat, or better yet, grind it yourself. This is one time not to head for the bargain-basement ground beef in your supermarket's frozen meat section.

In Brazil, quibe is found most often as a bar snack, or as part of a tray of Levantine dishes, but these recipes are for home cooking. The deep-fried version makes excellent hors d'ouevres or canapés, the baked version is best served on an appetizer plate, and the raw version works best as a sit-down first course.

Deep-fried Kibbeh

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RECIPE - Kibbeh (Quibe) - Version One, Traditional Deep-Fried

2 lbs (1 kg) good-quality, lean ground-beef or lamb
1 Tbsp. neutral vegetable oil
2 cups (300 gr) bulgur wheat, dry (trigo para quibe)
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
sat and pepper to taste
neutral vegetable oil (for frying)
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Pour the bulgur wheat into a large mixing bowl, then pour 2 cups (500 ml) of room-temperature water over. Let stand for approximately 45 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

Separate the ground meat into two portions - 1.5 lbs (750 gr) and 0.5 lbs (250 gr). Reserve the smaller quantity.

Heat the Tbsp. of oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add the 1.5 lbs of ground meat, half the chopped garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until the meat loses all traces of pinkness and the mixture has evaporated its moisture and is dry. Remove from heat, then stir in half of the parsley. Reserve.

In the mixing bowl, add the remaining half pound of ground meat to the bulgur wheat, then stir in the remaining parsley and chopped garlic, the mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix with the hands until you have a homogenous mass. The mixture should be very homogenous, so be sure to mix very well.

Have a cookie sheet ready. Remove approximately 1 Tbsp. of the meat-bulgur mix from the mixing bowl and roll into a ball shape in your hands. Cup the ball in the palm of one hand, and with the other, form a pocket in it. Fill the pocket with the cooked ground meat, then close the pocket over this mixture. Reform into ball or torpedo shape in your hand. Place the completed kibbeh on the cookie sheet, then continue this process until you have used all of the mixture. Reserve.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep frying pan until it is hot but not smoking. Fry the kibbehs a few at a time (don't overcrowd the fryer) until they are dark brown and crisp on the outside. Remove to a cookie sheet lined with paper towel, to drain excess oil. Continue until all the kibbehs have been fried.

Serve immediately, with lemon wedges and if you wish, tahini or tzatziki sauce.

(Click on read more below for the other two recipes)

Baked Kibbeh

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RECIPE - Kibbeh (Quibe) - Version Two, Baked

2 lbs (1 kg) good-quality, lean ground-beef or lamb

3 cups (450 gr) bulgur wheat, dry (trigo para quibe)
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
sat and pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil
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Pour the bulgur wheat into a large mixing bowl, then pour 3 cups (750 ml) of room-temperature water over. Let stand for approximately 45 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

In a blender combine the chopped onion, the garlic, the mint and basil, plus a small amount of olive oil and liquefy into a smooth paste. Add additional oil if needed to homogenize the mixture. Combine the ground meat with the onion-garlic paste, add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or with your hands to combine. Then add the hydrated bulgur wheat, and using your hands, mix very thorough to combine everything into a homogenous mixture.

Grease a glass or ceramic lasagne pan with olive oil, then fill with the kibbeh mixture, pressing down and smoothing it out. Using a sharp knife, cut the meat into attractive serving shapes (traditionally baked kibbeh is cut into diamond shapes by making diagonal cuts). Drizzle the top surface generously with additional olive oil.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Score the cooked kibbeh along the lines of the original cuts, then remove with a spatula to a serving platter. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges and if you wish, tahini or tzatziki sauce.

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Raw Kibbeh

RECIPE - Kibbeh (Quibe) - VersionThree, Raw

2 lbs (1 kg) good-quality, lean ground-beef or lamb
3 cups (450 gr) bulgur wheat, dry (trigo para quibe)
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
sat and pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil
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Wash the bulgur well in a large sieve under running water, but don't let it soak. Drain. Boil 4 cups water, and pour it over the bulgur, then drain again and let cool. Vigorously squeeze handfuls of bulgur to remove all excess moisture, then add to a large mixing bowl. To the bulgur add the meat, the chopped onion, the herbs, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Add three or four large ice cubes to the mixture.

Thoroughly wet your hands, then begin to mix the ingredients in the mixing bown with your hands. Continue to mix until you have a uniform mix and cannot distinguish individual ingredients. It's important not to undermix - the final result must be completely homogenous. One everything is mixed, remove any ice that remains.

If not serving immediately, refrigerate the mixture. To serve, mound the mixture on a large serving platter, decoratively score the surface, and top with thin rings of onion and a few mint leaves. Serve with pita bread and with additional olive oil for everyone to drizzle over their kibbeh as desired.