kibbeh naye and Lebanese flat bread

Sitting cold, wet and hungry during a rest stop of the Ironman bike ride, my neighbor John served Claire and I a cooked Lebanese meatloaf call kibbeh with some Lebanese Flat bread. It was delicious and helped fuel us for a challenging day. I have found myself thinking about kibbeh often since that cold ride.

Kibbeh is dense. Meat, Bulgar wheat and cumin and cayenne pepper are packed into diamond shaped cubes.

Last night John brought some over, and we formed the paste like meat on skewers grilling it as kabobs. Wrapped in flat bread smeared with a garlic, olive oil and lemon spread, it was a treat once again. John shared that kibbeh is best eaten tartare style. The naye part of kibbeh naye means raw.

Tonight John showed Claire and I how to make it;we experienced how good it is raw. The recipe is quite simple.
1lb of Kibbeh meat from a local butcher. Just call him the day before
1 cup of bulgar #1 wheat soaked in water for about 1/2 hour.
1 medium onion turned to "apple sauce."
1 t. cumin
1 t. cayenne pepper (more would be better)
dash black pepper
2t. salt.

To eat it raw, place it on a plate covered in oil. John used corn oil. I'd use olive oil. Serve it on flat bread or crackers.

To bake it, place it in about a 1" layer in a pan and bake it for about an hour. Half an hour at 425 and half and hour at 375.

John also suggested a stuffed meat loaf. Lamb, pine nuts, onions, feta, black olives, sun dried tomatoes would all be excellent fillings.

John took pride in his heritage expressed through this food. He explained how his mother, now dead, used to make it the same way. Tonight was about more than sharing a recipe.