Cheesy Lamb Cups Food

CHEESE-STUFFED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• For the pickled onions: Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, pickling spice and 1 cup cool water in a medium saucepot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add onions to the pot and stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer, then turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a resealable container and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 weeks.
• For the tzatziki: Combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon juice and salt in a bowl and refrigerate until serving time.
• For the burgers: Combine the lamb, onion, mint, parsley, tapenade, salt, pepper and garlic in a large bowl, being careful not to overmix. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Using a burger-sized ring mold (about 4 inches across), lay the ring mold on a baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Press 1 portion of the lamb mixture down lightly to fill the bottom of the ring mold. Add about 1 tablespoon of each cheese, then another portion of the lamb mixture. Cover with the plastic wrap, then press down firmly to fill the ring mold. Remove the plastic-wrapped burger from the ring mold, then repeat with the remaining lamb mixture and cheese to create 3 more burgers. Cover the patties in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
• Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat and cook the burgers, flipping only once, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Spread some tzatziki sauce on the bottoms of the toasted rolls and stack with patties. Top each with pickled red onions, some lettuce, more tzatziki sauce and the tops of the rolls.

CHEESY STUFFING CUPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add celery; cook and stir 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Stir in water. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in stuffing mix, cranberries and nuts. Add 1 cup cheese and egg; mix lightly.
• Spoon into 8 muffin pan cups sprayed with cooking spray, mounding stuffing mixture as necessary to fill cups. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake 10 min. or until stuffing cups are heated through and cheese is melted.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH FRESH MINT & CHEESY MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Bring salsa and 2 cups water to boil in large saucepan, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, mix stuffing mix, meat, onions, eggs, mint, cilantro, garlic and remaining water in large bowl. Shape into 24 balls, about 1/4 cup each. Drop meatballs gently into boiling salsa mixture; cover.
• Simmer on medium heat 18 to 20 min. or until meatballs are cooked through (165°F).
• Stir cheese into mashed potatoes just before serving. Top potatoes with hot meatballs.

CREAMY LAMB'S-QUARTERS GRATIN

Steps:

• Make Filling:
• Preheat the oven to 350° F with the rack in the middle. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
• Bring 1-inch salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, wash lamb's-quarters in a large bowl of cold water and drain well. Trim any coarse, woody stems at bottom (don't go crazy with trimming; young lamb's-quarter stems cook up tender and delicious).
• Add lamb's-quarters to pot and cook over medium heat, covered, until leaves are wilted and stems are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the greens in a large sieve or colander and rinse well under cold running water. Drain again, pressing out excess liquid with the back of a large spoon. Coarsely chop greens and transfer to a bowl. Dry saucepan and reserve.
• Cook scallions in olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in reserved saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Combine scallion mixture with greens in bowl. Reserve saucepan again.
• Melt butter in reserved saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes, then whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer sauce, whisking, 2 minutes (it will be thick). Remove from heat and whisk in nutmeg, zest, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix sauce into greens mixture. If the mixture is too thick, thin with a little additional milk; season with salt and pepper. Spread out mixture in baking dish.
• Make Topping:
• Toss together crumbs, cheeses, and oil until combined well. Sprinkle topping evenly over greens mixture and bake in oven until crumbs are golden and mixture is bubbling, about 30 minutes.
• Cooks' Notes:
• The best way to make coarse fresh breadcrumbs is to cube fresh bread, then grind it in small batches in a blender (a food processor is not as good at grinding crusty bread into breadcrumbs because the crusts get stuck in the blade).
• Creamy lamb's-quarters mixture and crumb mixture can be made 1 day ahead and kept separately in airtight containers, chilled.