Have you checked the ingredient list of store-bought veggie burgers lately? Many of them are teeming with GMO soy, GMO canola oil, funky fillers, and chemicals I cannot pronounce ((gasp)) The human body would recognize an organic, grass fed beef burger more than the frozen veggie monstrosities you see in the supermarket frozen section. It really isn’t difficult to make your own veggie burgers, and store the leftover patties in your freezer for later enjoyment. I love Middle Eastern flavors in my burger, so I thought why not transform the meaty appetizer called “kibbeh” into a veggie burger?
Kibbeh is a Levantine dish made of bulgur or cracked wheat, minced onions and finely ground lean beef, or lamb. Lebanese varieties use chicken and even fish instead of meat. The word kibbeh in Arabic means “ball,” popular in Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Syria. The best-known variety is a football-shaped fried croquette stuffed with minced beef or lamb.
Other types of kibbeh may be shaped into balls or patties, and baked or cooked in broth. When the kibbeh is baked casserole style, there is usually a layer of brazed lamb, onions, and pine nuts in between the layers of kibbeh:
There is also the “Kibbeh Niya” variety, which is raw kibbeh, the Middle Eastern equivalent to steak tartar. Spread on a plate with a drizzle of olive oil, this plate of goodness is popular as an appetizer.
Kibbeh is considered to be the national dish of many Middle-Eastern countries and usually contains some kind of meat. I have found that lentils do a fantastic job of mimicking a hearty, meaty flavor when ground in the food processor. You can split this recipe in half. One half dedicated to the “Niya” style, or “raw” as a dip with crackers. The other half can go to those mouth watering veggie patties. You can even prepare this kebab style, molding the mixture onto skewers, and brushing with olive oil. Freeze the patties for later use if you made too much for one sitting. Regardless of your serving method, you won’t miss the meat, and neither will your meat loving friends (just ask my brother) Cucumber yogurt sauce makes a fine condiment, as well as a cucumber, garlic and tomato salsa. Subscribe to my youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/blanchetv for dip and salad recipes. And now, here is my latest video for this treat, leave your comments below if you think you will give this a try or want to see more veggie recipes. One warning about the video, at around 6 minutes things got a little crazy off camera, and my brother makes me laugh so much I cannot control myself. Such is the crazy dynamic of my family. 😀
