Bulgur and Walnut Kibbeh

I'm really becoming a fan of Martha Rose Shulman's health columns in the NYT. In the last week, I've made two of her recipes, one for Lebanese tabbouleh and one for bulgur and walnut kibbeh. Both were so delicious and amazingly easy to make (if you use a food processor). And in the middle of a heat wave, just what the cook ordered, as there's no heat involved, except to boil water.

This is the first time I've ever used bulgur wheat. Unlike other grains and pulses, all you need to do is soak it in some water and it's ready to go. Once soaked, there's something so enjoyable about working with bulgur, the feeling of the grain so smooth and spongy — I'm tempted to add some cucumber juice and stick it all over my face. What a great facial!

Back to the kibbeh. Wow. You'd never know there wasn't meat in the recipe. Something about the combination of walnuts and bulgur; so rich and hearty, it kept me full for hours. I think I like it better than traditional kibbeh, which is usually made from ground raw lamb. The ingredients are very similar for both the tabbouleh and the kibbeh (the kibbeh has walnuts, the tabbouleh tomatoes and scallions), so if you decide to make one, make the other the next day.