Wheat Berry Lamb Kibbeh

This is a Lebanese dish that traditionally uses bulgur wheat. I took some liberties in the translation and used cooked, ground wheat berries instead of the bulgur, but the results are similar
and delicious. It’s a great way to stretch a little bit of meat into a lot for a crowd. You can form the mixture into small patties or sausage shapes, or press it into the bottom of a pan and cut after
baking. It is great served with plain yogurt mixed with a little bit of lemon juice and chile paste, and/or the cilantro chutney recipe that follows.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground lamb (or beef)
• 1/2 bunch green onions, greens and base, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, mint or oregano)
• 2 cups cooked wheat berries, ground into small pieces in food
• processor or blender
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. To get the right texture, you need to really work the ground meat, squeezing it through you fingers, to distribute the fat. Once the wheat is well incorporated, form your patties or press mixture into a well oiled baking dish. Bake in an oven at 375, from 15-30 minutes, depending on thickness. Kibbeh is done when no longer pink inside. Serve over hot pita bread with yogurt sauce or chutney.

Submitted by Sara Jones, Tucson CSA