Live the Live ™

When it comes to grilling, lamb is often overlooked. Yet it’s a wonderful, flavorful meat that makes a great burger. The taste of lamb can be a bit strong, however, so I mix 1 lb. of ground lamb with 1 lb. of ground grass-fed beef.

1 lb. ground lamb
1 lb. ground beef
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons extra Virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons minced Spanish onion
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon each fresh parsley, mint, and dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 large clove garlic, squeezed through a garlic press
1 scallion, finely chopped, green part only
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the onions to a plate and let them cool.
In a bowl, mix the onions, the lamb, pork, mustard, herbs, spices, garlic, scallions, salt and pepper.

Form the meat into slider-sized patties. Place them on a baking sheet covered with non-stick foil, and place the baking sheet in the fridge.

Don’t let the lamburgers get too cold in the fridge…just enough to firm the meat up a bit. If it gets too cold, give it a few minutes at room temp to warm up again.  Grill the burgers until cooked to medium. (If you’re cooking them indoors, heat some pork fat or avocado oil in an oven-proof pan. Sear the burgers on both sides, then place the pan in the oven to finish cooking.)

Place the burgers on slider buns with lettuce and tomato, and smear the bun with the feta cheese dressing or tzaziki. Recipes for both are below.

My recipe for feta cheese dressing works really well with lamburgers. If you’re skipping the bun and serving the burger with a salad, you might want to try my tzaziki recipe.

Feta Cheese Dressing:

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1  cup mayo
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce, like Franks Red Hot
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4–5 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate. Best the next day.

Tzaziki:

1 pint plain yogurt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 English cucumber, peeled and grated
Salt

Combine all the ingredients, except the cucumber, in a bowl. With the cuke: peel it, then finely grate it into a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and let it sit for a few minutes. Then scoop out the mashed cucumber with your hands and squeeze as much liquid out of it as you can. Add the cucumber to the bowl with the other ingredients. Discard the cucumber liquid.

Cover and refrigerate. Best the next day.