Kibe de Carne is a Brazilian take on meatballs, using a mixture of minced meat and bulgur wheat (but I used up the end of a bag of couscous instead). This makes the meat go further so it's a simple, tasty and also frugal dish that relies on nothing but store cupboard basics - everything a good midweek recipe needs in my opinion !
Kibe de Carne
ingredients :
1 cup couscous (and equal measure of boiling water)
500g minced beef/pork/turkey
1 egg
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
herbs and spices : I used Brazilian churrasco spices, lime pepper and mint, but herbes de Provence and smoked paprika woud be great too
lime juice
salt/pepper
oil for frying
Put the couscous in a bowl and add the boiling water. When it has all been absorbed, fluff up with a fork, add a knob of butter and season with salt.
Add the meat, the finely chopped onion and garlic and the spices. Season with salt and pepper.
Break in the egg and use your hands to work everything together. Roll into slightly flattened, golfball-sized patties with your hands.
Put enough oil into a large frying pan to completely cover the bottom and fry the meatballs on both sides until completely cooked through. (Allow about 4 minutes on each side.) The addition of the couscous makes them lovely and crispy on the outside. They are a little dry though so they're best served with a sauce (BBQ sauce or tomato chutney, for example). They can be eaten hot or cold so they'd make good picnic or lunchbox food too.
I served them with some Spicy Cajun Wedges using a seasoning sachet that has been lingering in the back of the cupboard for far too long ! As I also used up the end of a bag of couscous, this is going into this month's #KitchenClearout linkie.
If you want to try some more Brazilian delights, you might be tempted by Beef Churrasco & Farofa, Chocolate Brigadeiros, Coconut Quindim, Fruity Burgers & coleslaw, Paçoquinha, Simple Feijoada with Golden Rice or Vatapa
I have never thought of adding bulgur or couscous to meatballs. But I do add a grated raw potato or stale bread soaked in milk to the minced meat, it helps to make them less dense and tastier imo. I like the idea of trying it with couscous!
ReplyDeleteThese sound lovely....will go search my food cupboard now :)
ReplyDeleteI would make brazilian beans to go with the meatballs.
ReplyDeleteOoh that sounds like a great idea - what goes into them?
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