Pita Burgers With Cucumber Yogurt Sauce Food

GREEK LAMB-FETA BURGERS WITH CUCUMBER SAUCE

Steps:

• Set 4 whole garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium-high heat; toast until spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Peel, mince and set aside.
• Break up lamb in a medium bowl. Sprinkle roasted garlic, feta, oregano, salt and pepper over meat; stir with a fork to combine. Divide into 4 portions. Toss meat back and forth between cupped hands to form a ball. Pat with fingertips to flatten to about 4 inches wide. Refrigerate.
• Mix cucumber, sour cream, mint, vinegar, 1 minced clove of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.
• Build a hot fire on one side of grill. Replace rack. When coals are covered with white ash, add burgers. Cover and cook, turning only once, until done, about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium to medium-well burgers.
• Grill pitas until spotty brown and warm, a minute or so per side. Split crosswise. Spread a couple of tablespoons of sauce over 4 pita halves. Top each with an onion slice, a tomato slice and a burger. Spread a portion of the remaining sauce over each burger. Top with remaining pita halves.

GYRO PITA BURGERS

Steps:

• For the cucumber sauce, line a fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth. Place yogurt in strainer over a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight., Drain and discard liquid; set yogurt aside. Place cucumber in a colander over another bowl; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 15 minutes; discard liquid., In a large bowl, whisk oil and vinegar until blended. Stir in the garlic, reserved yogurt and cucumber; cover and refrigerate until serving., For gyro burgers, in a large bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, rosemary, lemon-pepper and salt. Crumble meat over mixture and mix well. Shape into four oval patties., Grill, covered, over medium heat for 6-7 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve in pita bread with sliced cucumber and cucumber sauce.

GREEK PITA BURGERS WITH SPINACH, FETA AND TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Place shredded cucumber in clean dish towel; squeeze to remove any excess liquid. In small bowl, mix cucumber and remaining sauce ingredients. Cover; refrigerate until serving time.
• Heat gas or charcoal grill. In large bowl, mix all burger ingredients except buns, tomatoes and lettuce. Shape into 8 patties, 1/4 inch thick. Place patties on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 5 to 8 minutes, turning once, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160°F.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce on bottom half of each bun. Top with burger, tomato and lettuce. Cover with top halves of buns.

PITA BURGERS WITH CUCUMBER-YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine dried basil leaves, lemon pepper and onion powder in a small bowl.
• In another small bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, salt and 1 tsp of herb mixture
• Reserve.
• Shape ground beef into four 1/2-inch thick patties.
• Sprinkle remaining herb mixture over both sides of patties.
• Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Place patties in hot skillet and cook 6-8 minutes, turning once.
• Patties should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F.
• To serve, place a burger in each pita half.
• Add two tomato slices and yogurt sauce as desired.

VEGGIE MINI BURGER PITA WITH CUCUMBER YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the veggie mini burgers: Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the quinoa from the saucepan and spread out onto a baking sheet. Cool completely.
• Puree half the can of cannellini in the bowl of a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the cooked quinoa (save the rest for another time), the cannellini puree, the remaining whole cannellini, corn, panko, cilantro, salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic, pepper and lemon juice in a large bowl. Mix until the mixture comes together. Form 8 small patties, about 2-ounces each. Refrigerate the patties for 15 minutes to firm up.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes per side.
• For the sandwich build: Place 2 patties inside each pita, top with a dollop of Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, some lettuce and tomato. Serve while on the elliptical machine.
• Mix the cucumbers, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, sugar, garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle with hot sauce, salt and pepper.

PITA BURGERS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the onion, garlic and seasonings; crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into six patties. , Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, yogurt and sesame seeds. Top each burger with lettuce mixture; serve with pita breads.

LAMB BURGERS IN PITA WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix first 5 ingredients together in medium bowl. Season yogurt sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mix lamb and next 5 ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Season generously with salt and pepper. Shape mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.
• Preheat broiler. Place lamb patties on broiler rack and broil until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
• Open pita bread rounds; line bottoms with trimmed tops, if desired. Place lettuce, burger, then large spoonful of yogurt sauce in each round. Serve, passing sauce separately.

GREEK-STYLE LAMB BURGERS WITH YORGURT-CUCUMBER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, lightly knead the ground lamb with the minced onion, garlic, mint, parsley and 1 scant teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
• Shape the meat into 4 long oval patties about 1/2 inch thick and transfer them to a plate lined with plastic wrap. Lightly brush with olive oil.
• Light a grill. When fire is medium hot, brush the grate with olive oil. Grill the lamb burgers for about 12 minutes, turning once, for medium meat.
• Move the burgers away from the heat and grill the pita until lightly toasted on both sides, about 1 minute.
• Set the burgers on the pita breads and top them with the lettuce, tomato, red onion and a spoonful of Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce (see Recipe #243031).
• Fold the pitas over the burgers and serve right away, passing the remaining yogurt sauce alongside.