if you’re reading this post then there is a good chance that like me, you probably really look forward to the wednesday edition of the ny times. their dining section is a veriable wealth of information filled with great writing, great sources and inspiring ideas. not to mention the recipes. so on wednesday, june 13 i spotted a particular recipe that had me ripping out the page. and for two months it sat around on my foyer table amidst some incense, a few postcards a banana republic offer of extra points if i shop on or around my birthday – and the usual assortment of keys, pens and sunglasses. it was folded to size and slightly ripped. waiting patiently to show off its stuff.

with a little luck all good recipes have their moment to shine, and this recipe for the national dish of both lebanon and syria – had its nashville premiere last night in my kitchen. perhaps an assumption, but i live on a long road and i’m the only times subscriber, as well as what seemingly feels like the only non republican.

so. kibbe. really, it’s kind of like meatloaf gone arabic. cumin, cinnamin, allspice and a touch of cayenne mixed with diced onion and soaked bulghur – and lamb!!! i so very heart lamb. it’s my favorite meat, hands down.

this recipe is melissa clark’s from her article ‘kibbe raw (good) and cooked (better)‘. and i did try it raw. and it is good. but broiled til crisp with a garlicy yogurt sauce on top… i’m telling you now that this is a fine recipe.

individual mini football patties were the shape of choice. the broiling smoked up the house in a big way but my range hood saved the day. when we sat down to eat there was a lot of mmmm’ing going on we declared that it needed to go into regular rotation.

kibbe who knew?