Small Bites Week: Mini Kibbeh or Quibinhos

It is not difficult to understand the reason for their popularity at parties and bars in my home country: quibinho's crunchiness is out of this world, and the unusual delicate seasoning and texture brings life to what could be just a average meatball.

After some reading I learn that kibbeh arrived in Brazil with the Lebanese immigrants, by the end of the 19th century. The most traditional recipes call for lamb, preparation on a tray, and filling with pine nuts and other goodies. Nowadays you can find all kinds of versions everywhere - even in fast-food chains there or frozen in big supermarkets.

I  found some inspiration for cooking those delicious bites from my favorite Brazilian blog on Food and Kids, Comer para Crescer . This one I bring to you is very, very simple and baked in the oven. And I can guarantee, very similar to the one that lives in my memory of nice party trays. There they were, in my pictures, besides other salgadinhos, like empadinha de queijo, rissoles, croquetes, oh so many of them.... how delicious. Now, off to buy some more ingredients to prepare it for the next party here!

Mini Kibbeh - Quibinhos

I used Bob's Red Mill Bulgur Wheat, that needs to be soaked just for one hour before preparation. I usually soak few hours before cooking time. The main factor is to get rid of the excess of water from the bowl. Allspice is also indicated, but I ran out of it, prepared without it, and didn't really missed it at the final flavor.

1 pound ground sirloin
3 cups pre-soaked bulgur wheat
1 cup white onions, chopped or grated
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped or cut with scissors, thinly

Mix all ingredients and combine to a uniform dough. It can be done by hand or food processor. Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Roll the equivalent of one tablespoon of dough into a football-like shape with your hands greased with olive oil. Spray a shallow cookie sheet with olive oil. Turn oven off and change to broiler. Broil on high for 10-15 minutes, turn the kibbeh-pieces and broil for another 10 minutes to have all of its circumference equally grilled and browned. Serve with some lemon wedges, mint leaves and  hot sauce on the side.

Small Bites Week: Blue Cheese, Apricot, and Sage Zucchini Twirls

I wanted to find a way to enjoy creamy white beans as finger food without slathering them on bread or blending it into a dip. These little skewered twirls do the job perfectly. Blue cheese can have a strong bite, but it smooths out nicely when blended with the beans. Sage, always a good partner to white beans, adds an earthy layer, and dried apricots bring a touch of sweetness.

Blue Cheese, Apricot, and Sage Zucchini Twirls

The bean and cheese filling can be made well ahead of time, but the twirls are best assembled soon before serving. Don't skip salting the zucchini, or you'll end up with a soggy, limp mess. Makes about 16 twirls.

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, such as cannellini or navy
3 oz. blue cheese
salt
freshly ground pepper
2 zucchini
14 sage leaves
16 dried Turkish apricots

In a medium bowl, mash beans and blend thoroughly with blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Slice zucchini lengthwise into long, thin strips, about 1/8 inch thick. A mandoline is great tool for this, or you could try using a vegetable peeler. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the zucchini strips and lay them out on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel for 15 minutes. While the zucchini rests, cut the sage and apricots into long, thin strips.

Dry the zucchini with a fresh towel and begin assembling the appetizers. At one of the each strip, lay out a few strips of sage and apricot and top with a teaspoon of the bean and cheese blend. Roll up the zucchini strip, gently but firmly, and secure with a toothpick.

Small Bites Week: Roasted Red Pepper, Walnut, and Rosemary Dip

We're in the mood for a little something, so we're declaring Small Bites Week: We're serving up  a week's worth of tasty, relatively heathful appetizers, no utensils required. 

First up, a sweet and savory dip we couldn't stay away from. And that's OK, because it's pretty darn good for you: no added fat or sugar. Its rich, vibrant color is a nice alternative to the family of onion, ranch, sour cream dips. This went over well with kids and adults -- my 5-year-old would eat this with a spoon. Me too.

Roasted Red Pepper, Walnut, and Rosemary Dip

This sweet, healthful dip pairs beautifully with celery and jicama, but I like it best with homemade whole-wheat pita chips (recipe follows). You can use roasted red peppers from a jar, but it's easy enough to make your own. Makes about 2 cups of dip.

3 roasted red peppers (recipe follows)
1 cup walnuts (can substitute pecans)
2 cloves garlic
leaves from 7 3" rosemary sprigs
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor and puree. Refrigerate four hours to overnight.

Roasted Peppers

Wash and dry sweet bell peppers. Slice in half and remove seeds and membranes. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil and lay peppers cut-side down. Broil for 10 to 20 minutes until pepper skins are charred and blistered. Transfer hot peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Wait at least 15 minutes, then remove peppers and slip off blistered skins. Use peppers immediately, store in refrigerator (I don't know how long they keep -- ours disappear within days), or freeze.

Whole-Wheat Pita Chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut whole-wheat pitas into 8 wedges, then split each wedge in half to form 16 triangles. Spritz with olive oil spray or brush lightly with olive oil; squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over them and sprinkle with sea salt. Lay pita wedges on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp and lightly browned. Store in an airtight container.