Cracked Wheat and Beef Casserole recipe..from Kuwait with Love

I love this  delicious casserole and it is one way to incorporate more whole grains into your diet. This is one of the first casseroles I learned to cook in Kuwait in the late 70's.
The wheat cooks like rice and tastes delicious..bulgur wheat is cracked whole wheat and comes in several sizes of grind, for this recipe you need the coarsest (largest) grind.

This recipe serves 6

1 pound ground lean beef/chicken or turkey ( use white meat chicken or turkey)
1 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
1 cup boiling stock
1cup cracked wheat
2 cups chopped (canned) tomatoes in their juice
2tbsp tomato paste/puree
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
hot sauce optional
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 cup minced cilantro

Method:
preheat oven 325F middle shelf

Place the mat and onion in a dry skillet and cook on low saute until the meat is no longer pink, and onions are opaque.
Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins.
Pour the boiling stock over the wheat mix well and add to the skillet.
Add all the other ingredients except the cilantro and mix well..
Remove from heat and pour into a deep greased (1 qt) casserole.
Cover tightly and bake 1 hour on a lined cookie sheet
Remove from oven and wait 10 mins, add minced cilantro and serve with steamed green vegetables.

You may also serve with plain yogurt on the side.