Table Talk
Lamb Burgers
Lamb seems to be a challenge for some people. It's not unusual for me to meet people or clients who say they dislike lamb. I always think that they must not know what they're missing. I grew up eating leg of lamb, which had been roasted with slivers of garlic stuffed into small slits in the roast. My parents always served it with rice and the most delicious gravy, which was ladled over meat and rice alike. I haven't eaten that lamb dish in decades, having graduated to rare lamb chops or grilled marinated and butterflied legs. And to lamb burgers. The first time I ate a lamb burger, I had tried a recipe clipped from the newspaper. It was a simple, unadorned patty, with a slice of melted provolone and garnished with chutney. It was and is delicious. But I don't often want to repeat a recipe, preferring to try new flavors and methods and combinations. When searching for a new way to prepare my lamb burgers yesterday, I came across this Moroccan recipe. It was really really fantastic, with a very unusual but inspired salsa.
MOROCCAN-SPICED LAMB BURGERS WITH BEET, RED ONION, AND ORANGE SALSA
Recipe By :Paul Gayler
Serving Size : 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 beets -- boiled, peeled, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1 large orange -- peel and pith cut away, flesh cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped pitted green Greek olives
Burgers
1 large shallot -- minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño chile -- seeded, minced
1 garlic clove -- minced
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 3/4 pounds ground lamb
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
4 large cracked-wheat hamburger buns -- split horizontally
1 1/3 cups thinly sliced Bibb lettuce
Mayonnaise
For salsa: Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Mix in next 4 ingredients. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper. Do ahead: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
For burgers: Stir shallot, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, and cumin in large bowl to blend. Add lamb and mix gently to combine. Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Arrange on small baking sheet. Do ahead: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Spray grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill buns, cut side down, until golden, about 2 minutes; transfer to work surface. Place lettuce and large spoonful of salsa on each bun bottom. Grill burgers until slightly charred and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Place 1 burger on each bun. Top each with mayonnaise and bun top. Serve with remaining salsa.
Source:
"Bon Appétit, July 2006"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 451 Calories; 36g Fat (71.4% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 97mg Cholesterol; 545mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
NOTES : Good with or without the salsa
