Turkey Kibbeh

From EatingWell: June/July 2006 — Subscribe Now!

Kibbeh, a seasoned lamb and bulgur mixture, is one of the national dishes of Lebanon. It's often served raw, drizzled with olive oil, with slices of sharp white onion and fresh pita bread alongside, but is also baked or stuffed and deep-fried. This baked version uses lean ground turkey to cut fat and finely shredded zucchini to keep it moist while baking. Make it a meal: serve with toasted pita bread and a salad tossed with a lemon vinaigrette.

6 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Kibbeh

1/2 cup bulgur
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (see Tip)
1 1/2 pounds 93%-lean ground turkey
1 medium zucchini, finely shredded
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Yogurt sauce

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
1 small tomato, diced
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450° F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray. Place bulgur in a small bowl and cover with hot water.
Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in pine nuts.
Drain the bulgur, pressing on it to remove any liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and add turkey, zucchini, marjoram, cumin, salt, allspice and cayenne. Gently mix until combined. Pat half the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the onion mixture, pressing it gently into the turkey layer. Cover with the rest of the turkey mixture, pressing gently into the onion layer. Cover with foil.
Bake the kibbeh for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165° F, 10 to 15 minutes more.
To prepare yogurt sauce & serve: While the kibbeh is baking, combine yogurt, cucumber, tomato and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Cut the kibbeh into 6 squares and serve warm with the yogurt sauce.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4, cover and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 350°F oven.

Tip: To toast pine nuts: Cook in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 296 calories; 14 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 67 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 4 g fiber; 397 mg sodium; 361 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (20% daily value).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat