Lamb and Bulgur Kibbeh Torpedoes

La storia di questo piatto

Kibbeh belongs to the whole Levant, a dish of the Syrian, Lebanese, Palestinian and Jordanian table, made for gatherings and holidays where hands are never idle. Bulgur and lamb, the quiet staples of that land, close around a heart of spiced lamb, onion and pine nuts.

Ingredienti

• 250 g Fine bulgur
• 250 g Lean lamb leg, minced (for the shell)
• 80 g Small white onion (for the shell)
• 300 g Lamb shoulder mince, about 20% fat (for the filling)
• 1 medium Onion (for the filling)
• 40 g Pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground cumin (for the filling)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh mint, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Clarified butter or ghee
• 2 teaspoons Fine salt (1 teaspoon for the shell, 1 for the filling)
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper (1/4 teaspoon for the shell, 1/4 for the filling)
• 300 ml Cold water for soaking the bulgur
• 4 cubes Ice cubes (for working the shell)
• 1 liter Neutral seed oil for frying
• 1 piece Lemon

Preparazione

1. Start with the shell: rinse the fine bulgur under cold water in a sieve, then transfer it to a large bowl and add about 300 ml of cold water, just enough to barely cover it. Fine bulgur should not soak for long, only rehydrate: let it rest until it has absorbed almost all the liquid and a grain pressed between your fingers feels soft, not gritty like sand.
2. Squeeze the bulgur well with your hands; it should remain moist but not drip. In the food processor, combine the squeezed bulgur with 250 g of lean lamb leg, the small white onion in pieces, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Add 3-4 ice cubes (or a few tablespoons of ice water) and pulse, scraping the sides with a spatula now and then, until you obtain a smooth, compact and elastic dough. The ice keeps the meat cold and prevents the dough from warming and losing its elasticity. Transfer it to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes: the cold makes it much easier to shape.
3. Now the heart: in a wide pan, melt the clarified butter over medium heat, add the finely chopped onion and sweat it, stirring often, until golden and translucent and sweet-smelling, without letting it burn. Add the lamb shoulder mince for the filling, raise the heat slightly and brown it, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it releases all its water and takes on a rich brown color: if the bottom of the pan darkens, don't worry, that is where the flavor hides.
4. Season the filling only now with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, so the salt binds well to the already browned meat. Add cinnamon, allspice, cumin and pine nuts, toast for another minute stirring until the aroma of warm spices rises from the pan, then turn off the heat and stir in the fresh mint and parsley, which will stay vibrant from residual heat. Taste: it should be spiced, slightly sweet from the cinnamon, never cloying. Let it cool completely, even in the fridge, before using it, otherwise it would melt the shell while you shape it.
5. Wet your hands with cold water and take a ball of dough of about 30-35 g (the size of a walnut), then with your thumb carve a deep cavity, turning slowly as when forming a clay pot, until you have a thin, even pocket. Fill with about 1 tablespoon of cold filling, close by pinching the edges and taper the ends with your hands into a smooth torpedo shape without cracks: if a crack opens, wet your fingers again and repair immediately, before it dries. You will obtain 16-20 kibbeh; keep them refrigerated as you form them.
6. Heat the seed oil in a deep pot to 175°C: if you don't have a thermometer, drop in a small piece of dough; it should fry immediately with lively bubbles without browning too quickly. Immerse the kibbeh a few at a time, without crowding the pot, and fry, turning them, for about 4-5 minutes per batch, until they are a deep golden brown and the surface feels almost crisp when touched with the slotted spoon. Work in batches, letting the oil return to the right temperature in between.
7. Drain on paper towels and let rest for a minute: the shell dries and becomes even crisper outside, while inside it stays juicy and spiced. Serve piping hot with a lemon wedge to squeeze over them: that burst of acidity wakes up the cinnamon and cuts through the richness of the lamb.