Spring roars in like a lion, out with a lamb burger
Well I'm going on record saying that March had some pretty bad weather, rainy miserable days that just made Gwynie regret retiring her winter clothes too early. I told you that was global warming faking you out there!
But as Easter rolled past, it looks like cold clear bluebird days will be easing on towards summer shortly.
As usual, the family dinner was up for debate yet again. With lamb on the menu 3 weeks in a row- there was a chorus of protest and we ended up having ham instead. But my cousin Grace had already bought a ton of ground lamb, some of which she kindly sent home with Gwynie.
As luck would have it, many moons ago I was asked to test a recipe for the Oracle, it turned out so well (with some major tweakings) that Gwynie wanted to use it with the lamb. I've listed it below for your perusal, and encourage you to make use of their online compendium of recipes. Please note that the bread is an essential part of the recipe, trapping the released juices in the meat, making these burgers firm yet succulent. If you skip the bread, they turn out mostly tough and dry...
Mini Lamb burgers with Tatziki Sauce
1/2 medium onion, chopped coarse (about 3/4 cup)
4 tsp lime juice (lemon ok)
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbs oregano leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices bread (high fiber coz that's how we get our daily dose)
1 pound ground lamb
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1. Toast cumin & coriander till fragrant, grind coarsely in coffee mill. Whirl onion, lime juice, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and bread in food processor into smooth, uniform paste. Mix with spices and lamb in large bowl (gently with hands) until combined. Halve then quarter mixture, finally dividing each into 3- forming 12 balls. Flatten balls to just thinner than 1 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
2. Cook meat on high until crusty, browned and fragrant ~ 3 minutes. Flip patties, reduce heat to medium, and cook until done, ~ 3-5 minutes depending. Allow to rest on a plate, save the juices for a gravy.
The yogurt and cucumber are very watery, and the recipe calls you to drain it for ~30 minutes, therefore make ahead of cooking meat. This also allows the flavors to meld and intensify. Can we say GARLIC?!
Tatziki Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup plain full-fat yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
salt to taste
1 Tbs lime juice (lemon ok)
1 clove garlic
1 Tbs mint & dill (each) finely chopped
1. Strain yogurt using fine mesh strainer or coffee filter for 30 minutes to 6 hours. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Macerate cucumber with salt and lime juice in colander set over bowl for 30 minutes to 6 hours. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Mix yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill and mint. Add salt to taste
Serve burgers with:
Tatziki Sauce
tomato, sliced thinly
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup) (optional)