Especially when made with lamb, this is incomparably delicious; serve it with good bread or toast. There was a time when this meat was chopped, then pounded and kneaded by hand, for longer than you or I have the patience to do. The food processor makes quick work of the process, and if you buy good fresh meat from a reliable source and handle it carefully, it’s as safe as a rare hamburger.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 8 servings

　　1/2 pound bulgur, preferably fine grain (#1)

　　1/2 to 3/4 pound boneless fresh lamb (from the leg or loin) or beef (preferably tenderloin)

　　1 teaspoon not-too-hot pure chile powder, like New Mexico, or a pinch or two of cayenne, or to taste

　　1 medium onion, finely chopped

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste

　　1 tablespoon tomato paste

　　1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro leaves

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　Lemon wedges for serving

　　

Step 1

Put the bulgur in a bowl and cover with boiling water; put a plate on the bowl and let the bulgur sit until fairly tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, then squeeze dry. Meanwhile, cut the meat into chunks and pulverize it in a food processor, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides occasionally; process until it will not become any finer.

　　

Step 2

Combine the meat and bulgur in a bowl and knead for a minute with your hands. Add the remaining ingredients except the lemon and knead a little more. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

　　

Step 3

Form the mixture into small balls or logs and serve immediately (or refrigerate, covered, for up to a couple of hours) with the lemon.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.