This burger is one of my favorites that I’ve done for the blog. I made this for dinner yesterday evening for some of my roommates. It was a big winner to say the least. One of us may have applauded our plate, while one of the others may have whispered to the burger, “I love you” during the course of dinner. Needless to say, this burger will be a hit at your table as well.
I had my first lamb burger when dining at a local restaurant in my hometown. If you live in Louisville, make sure you head to Mussel and Burger Bar in J-Town to try out the original for yourself. Everytime I eat here, I make sure to order this favorite. The heartiness of the ciabatta, the velvety nature of the grilled lamb, the creaminess of the tzatziki and feta, and the surprisingly sweet moment of the quince spread, created a burger unlike any I had ever tasted. Recently, I have been craving this burger and decided to do another recipe remix, with this month’s burger. Keep reading for the full recipe!
The Mediterranean Burger
yield: 4 1/2 lb burgers
Ingredients:
For lamb burger patty:
- 2 lbs grilled lamb
- 1/4 C grated red onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 T fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 T fresh mint, finely chopped
- Coarse sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
For tzatziki sauce:
- 1 C plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 C peeled and deseeded cucumbers, finely chopped
- 1 clove of fresh garlic, minced
- 2 T fresh dill, finely chopped
- 2 T fresh mint, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
For burger:
- 2 C organic arugula
- 1/2 lb feta cheese, block and cut into slices
- Mango chutney (found near the steak sauces in the store)
- 4 ciabatta rolls
Directions
Begin by preparing your ingredients for the lamb burger patties. Wash and dry all herbs, chop onion and garlic. Place in a large bowl with ground lamb and combine thoroughly. Score meat mixture into 4 even pieces with the side of your hand. (This prevents that baby burger at the end of your patty formation process and helps ensure that your burgers are about the same size, allowing for consistent cooking time.) Place formed burgers on plate and set to the side. To make tzatziki sauce, combine yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, dill and mint in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Set to the side. Before placing burgers on grill coat the first side with coarse sea salt and ground pepper. Make sure to add this to the other side once flipped. Place burgers on the grill and cook for 5-10 minutes depending on rareness preference. We cooked ours at 350 degrees for 5 minutes per side. Place ciabatta rolls, face side down on the warming rack to toast. Once burgers have completed cooking add cheese and shut the lid of the grill for a minute to heat the cheese through. To assemble the burger, begin by spreading 1 T of mango chutney on the bottom bun. One the top side of the bun, spread 1 T of the tzatziki sauce. Add a handful of arugula. Place the burger on the bottom bun. Add an additional dollop of tzatziki sauce on the arugula. Finish burger with a toothpick to aid in eating (It is definitely a double-handed burger). Using a spoon, make an additional smear of mango chutney on the side of the plate for additional dipping. Serve with quinoa tabouleh or a side of sweet potato fries.
Happy grilling (and eating)!
