Lebanese Lamb Shish Kebab

 
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds lamb, cubed
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons salad oil
• 3//4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon oregano leaves
• 2 small green peppers, cut into 12 pieces
• 1 large onion, cut into 12 pieces
• 6 ounces pimientos, drained and cut into 12 pes.
• 3/4 pound mushrooms

Preparation:

1. Mix the lamb, wine, oil, oregano, and salt together.
2. Place the lamb and vegetables on skewers and brush with the marinade, Broil for 20 to 25 minutes, brushing and turning skewers often,

Lebanese Kibbeh

Ingredents

• 2 1/2 cups cubed tender lamb
• 2 cups burghul (crushed wheat)
• 2 medium sized onions
• 2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• Ice water

 Preparation
Kibbeh is virtually the national dish of Lebanon and to call it a meat loaf does not quite raise it to the heights it deserves. Its traditional preparation is dramatic. It requires a stone mortar and a heavy pestle called the jorn and modaqqa (see photo below). The meat is pounded with rhythmic motions until it is smooth and pasty. All the neighborhood knows the sound of kibbeh in the making.

Select lamb from loin of the animal. Pound the cubed meat with a teaspoon of salt in a stone mortar with a wooden mallet (jorn and mudaqqa). Remov meat from mortar when it becomes pasty. Now pound onion with a teaspoon of salt and the pepper until it is reduced to a pulp. Combine meat and onion and pound together until very smooth. Wash burghul well in running water but do this quickly so that it does not soften. Press to remove water. Knead burghul and meat with the hands. Pound together in mortar. Add salt to taste. Dip mallet in ice water occasionally to keep meat moist and smooth. Properly prepared kibbeh must be pounded at least an hour. Then it is ready to be eaten as it is, or cooked in a variety of ways.

Preparation time may be shortened considerably by grinding meat several times through fine blade of meat grinder. Grind onion twice. Grind onions with meat once. Combine washed burghul with meat-onion mixture. Knead well, seasoning with salt and pepper. Grind this mixture three times adding a table-spoon of ice water to keep it smooth.

 

Kafta Bi Ssanieh (Meat Loaf in a Tray with Sauce)

  Ingredents

• 2 1/2 Ibs. Iamb or beef
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 3/4 Cup samneh (or other shortening)
• 1 cup fresh tomato juice, or
• 1 tsp. tomato paste diluted in one cup water
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 egg white

Preparation

• Kafta is classical in the Lebanese cuisine. This is an old recipe but its appeal is the same today as yesterday.
• Grind meat through the fine blade of meat grinder several times until it is almost pasty. (In Lebanon the meat is pounded to a pasty consistency in a mortar and pestle). Now pass the ground meat through the food chopper several times with the chopped onions until thoroughly blended. Add salt and pepper. Spread meat mixture evenly about one inch thick on a large baking pan. Bake in moderate oven until lightly browned. Spread the samneh (or other shortening) over the meat and continue baking until well browned. Add tomato juice and bake until half the juice is absorbed. At this point Lebanese cooks place the pan on top of the stove to finish cooking. The sauce must be almost entirely absorbed. Cut into squares to serve. Accompany with fried or mashed potatoes, cooked vegetables and a green salad.