Friday, June 13, 2008

Business As Usual

















Well, this was supposed to have looked a lot different than it did, folks, but I ran out of time! It's Kibbeh and it came from this post. What I ended up serving was the mixture before you let it cool, knead it and mix it and then shape it into ovals. What can I say... I have two small children? Yes, that's it.

Kibbeh

1 C red lentils
2 1/2 C water
1/2 C fine grain bulghur (#2 grade)*
2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 t tomato paste (I used 1 T ketchup, I cannot tell a lie)
1 1/2 t paprika (could have used more)
1 t tarragon
1 t salt
pepper to taste
1/2 t lemon juice

*or grind it in a coffee grinder

Ideally you are supposed to cook the lentils in the water until they are mushy (20-30m), meanwhile sauteing the onions and garlic, and then dump the lentils over the bulghur and let that set for half an hour. But I was in a hurry, so I nuked 2 C of water 'til boiling (5 min in my microwave in a 2 C pyrex measuring cup) and dumped that over the bulghur while the lentils cooked. Then I drained the bulghur and dumped it into the pot where I had mixed the onions, garlic, spices and red lentils and cooked it until it was thick.

You can make lots of different kinds of kibbeh- with potato, in a tray, with pumpkin (scroll down, it's in the comments), or even in soup.

I even found this recipe which made me curious about sumac, and got me thinking about those sumac growing up at my parents-in-law! I call ultimate locavore if I grind my own sumac and use it!

Well, that's it for today... no reading yesterday and some knitting. Making some progress again after changing it all up one more time.