Bulgur and Walnut Kibbeh

Name: Bulgur and Walnut Kibbeh
Total time: 40 min
Yield: About 24 kibbeh, serving six to eight as an appetizer
Cuisine: middle eastern
Ingredients: 3/4 cup fine bulgur; 2 garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed; Salt to taste; 1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and finely chopped; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint; Freshly ground pepper to taste; 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Small romaine lettuce leaves (or larger ones, cut into 2- or 3-inch pieces)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 40 minutes
Rating: 4(44)
Notes: Read community notes

These patties make a great destination for fine bulgur. Kibbeh (called kufteh in Persian and köfte in Turkish) are usually made with a mixture of ground meat and bulgur, but there are vegetarian versions as well. This mixture of bulgur and walnuts is pungent with garlic and fragrant with parsley and fresh mint. They make a nice appetizer.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 24 kibbeh, serving six to eight as an appetizer

¾cup fine bulgur
2garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed
Salt to taste
½cup walnuts, lightly toasted and finely chopped
2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground pepper to taste
¾teaspoon ground cinnamon
2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Small romaine lettuce leaves (or larger ones, cut into 2- or 3-inch pieces)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Place the bulgur in a bowl, add salt to taste and pour on boiling water to cover by ½ inch. Let sit for one hour, then drain and squeeze out excess water.
Step 2
Place the garlic in a mortar and pestle with a generous pinch of salt, and mash to a paste. Stir into the bulgur. Add the walnuts, olive oil, parsley, mint, pepper, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice. Moisten your hands and knead the mixture for a couple of minutes, then allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 3
With moistened fingers, form the bulgur mixture into bite-size balls, and press an indentation into the middle of each ball. Place on a lettuce leaf, sprinkle with lemon juice and serve. Guests can use the lettuce leaves as a sort of wrap to eat with the kibbeh.

Tip

Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

Ratings

4 out of 5

44 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Suzanne6 years ago

I tried making this but could not form little balls, as the mixture just crumbled in my hands. Not sure what I did wrong. But there doesn't seem to be anything to bind the ingredients together. Guess I'll just have to make stuffed portobello mushrooms. ;-)

Dess 5 years ago

Need to add grated onion will act as a binder.

mmarcus3 years ago

This was not a "big hit" when we served it. However, we sauteed the leftovers as if it was a veggie hamburger and it was much better. Perhaps the problem is that "fine bulgur" is not a mainstream product. If you Google it you get this definition "Fine Bulgur is made from hulled hard red winter wheat berries that are processed to remove a small amount of the bran, then steamed, dried and finely cracked. The result is a quick-cooking and nutritious grain dish" & there are links to sales sites

mmarcus3 years ago

I think Suzanne's problem may step from the vagueness of the term "fine bulgur" and lack of clarity. The normally available bulgur in main stream stores is like broken up grains of rice. Probably not "fine". We took such bulgur and put it in a Cuisinart and pulsed it for a few minutes to get a texture wheresoever between cornmeal and flour. Then we added the boiling water.. We immediately noticed that the boiling barely penetrated the fine bulgur. thus we stirred the mix and added water

Suzanne5 years ago

I gave up n the little balls and just make a salad and add chickpeas. It’s awesome!

Suzanne6 years ago

Emily5 years ago

I had this same problem! I added some corn starch to bind the mix together and it seemed to help a bit.

Dess 5 years ago

Need to add grated onion will act as a binder.

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