Sally BR posted 02-03-99
One of the best meat-strecthers.... is tabule wheat - there is an excellent Arab dish called "kibe" that you might want to try.
2 pounds ground beef
0.5 pound tabule wheat
1 onion, finely diced
salt and pepper to taste
mint (preferably fresh, minced, about 4 tbsp.)
lemon juice (1 tbsp.)
Soak the tabule wheat in cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Leave it overnight or 4 hours minimum. Drain extremely well.
Mix the meat, wheat, all the other ingredients. Assemble in a baking pan, like you would do for a cake - it should be about 2 inches high.
Cover with aluminum foil, bake at 350F for 30 minutes, remove the foil, make shallow cuts with a knife forming a diamond pattern. Drizzle some olive oil on top (lightly), put back in the oven, uncovered, bake for 40 minutes more, or until nicely browned on top.
Cut into squares to serve - it is delicious hot or cold, with a touch of more lemon juice on top, if you want.