Lamb Kibbeh Pie

Scant 1 cup bulgur wheat

Scant 1 cup water

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 medium onions, finely chopped

12-16 oz ground lamb

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Scant 1/2 cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons flour, plus a little extra if needed

3.5 tablespoons tahini

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon sumac

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line springform pan with wax paper.

Place the bulgur in a large bowl and cover it with the water. Leave for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic and onion until they are completely soft. Remove everything from the pan, return it to high heat, and add the lamb. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until brown. 

Return the onion mixture to the pan and add the spices, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a generous grind of black pepper, and most of the pine nuts and parsley, leaving some aside. Cook for a couple minutes, remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning. 

Check the bulgur to see if all the water has been absorbed. Drain to remove any remaining liquid. Add the flour, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper, and use your hands to work everything into a pliable mixture that just holds together. Add a little bit more flour if the mixture is very sticky. Push firmly onto the bottom of the springform pan so that it is compacted and leveled. Spread the lamb mixture evenly on top and press it down a little. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the meat is quite dark brown and very hot. 

While you wait, whisk together the tahini paste with the lemon juice, 3.5 tablespoons water, and a pinch of salt. You are after a very thick, yet pourable sauce. If needed, add a little extra water.

Remove the kibbeh cake from the oven, spread the tahini sauce evenly on top, sprinkle with the reserved pine nuts and chopped parsley, and return to the oven immediately. Bake for 10 to 12 more minutes, until the tahini is just setting and has taken on a little bit of color, and the pine nuts are golden. 

Remove from oven and let cool until warm or room temperature. Before serving, sprinkle the top with the sumac and drizzle with the remaining oil. Carefully remove the pan sides and cut the kibbeh into slices. Lift them gently so they don't break.

Barley and Tomato Risotto with Feta

Adapted from Jerusalem

1 cup pearl barley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 small shallots, cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 cloves garlic, cut into 1/16 inch dice
4 thyme springs (or a bit of dried thyme)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
4 strips lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (or red pepper)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, juice included
3 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
Salt to taste
~8 ounces feta cheese, broken into roughly 3/4 inch pieces


Rinse the pearl barley well in a fine sieve under cold water and leave to drain.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven and cool the celery, shallots, and garlic over gently heat for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the barley, thyme, paprika, bay leaf, lemon peel, chili flakes, tomatoes, stock, and salt. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the risotto does not stick to the bottom of the pan. When ready, the barley should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed.

Once the risotto is ready, check the seasoning and then divide among six bowl. Top each with feta.

Nutrition per serving:

• Calories 325.4
• Total Fat 17.3 g
• Cholesterol 44.0 mg
• Potassium 300.9 mg
• Dietary Fiber 6.7 g
• Sugars 4.0 g
• Protein 10.1 g

• Vitamin A 20.9 %
• Vitamin B-12 10.7 %
• Vitamin B-6 11.1 %
• Vitamin C 23.4 %
• Vitamin D 0.0 %
• Vitamin E 0.7 %
• Calcium 23.6 %
• Copper 5.5 %
• Folate 5.7 %
• Iron 9.4 %
• Magnesium 2.8 %
• Manganese 4.6 %
• Niacin 9.1 %
• Pantothenic Acid 4.2 %
• Phosphorus 20.5 %
• Riboflavin 25.0 %
• Selenium 8.9 %
• Thiamin 18.2 %
• Zinc 7.8 %

Muesli

Note: this is a flexible recipe. You can substitute different cereals, nuts, dried fruits, or seeds in equal proportion.

1 1/3 cups oatmeal
1 1/3 cups wheat flakes
1 1/3 cups barley flakes
1 cup puffed millet (or other puffed cereal)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried currents
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup date pieces
1/2 cup chopped dried papaya
1/2 cup flaxseed
1/2 cup hempseed
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup cacao nibs
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients well and store in a big glass jar.

To eat, soak 1/3-1/2 cup overnight in the fridge mixed with a similar volume of milk (including non-dairy), yogurt, fruit juice, or a combination of these liquids. (Muesli's nutrition is maximally available after soaking.) In the morning, add fresh fruit such as grated apple, berries, peeled kiwi, or pear slices.