Spiced Lamb Burger Food

SPICED LAMB BURGER

Steps:

• Using a fork, mix lamb, onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup oil in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
• Prepare grill for medium heat and oil grate. Working one at a time, open each pita pocket by cutting along seam, halfway around perimeter. Spoon filling into pitas, spreading to edges. Close, pressing on filling to seal.
• Grill pitas until filling is cooked through and bread is crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
• Do ahead: Filling can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Pita breads can be stuffed 1 hour ahead; cover and chill.

SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal grill fire. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the lamb with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Form into four 1/2-inch-thick burgers.
• Oil the grill grate. Grill the burgers for 5 minutes, then flip and continue to grill until an instant read thermometer inserted into a burger registers 145°F for medium, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a mini food processor with the parsley, cilantro, oregano, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Process until a coarse paste forms, scraping the sides of the processor at least once.
• Serve each burger in a pita half with the sauce, sliced tomato, and a dollop of yogurt.

LATIN-SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Toast the pepper, coriander and cumin together in a dry pan over low heat until they crackle and pop (shake the pan constantly). Their color should be light brown, and spices should smell like toast, popcorn, smoky, etc. Pour them straight into a coffee grinder and blend the seeds to a fine powder. Add the lamb to a medium bowl and stir in all of the spices, the garlic and salt. Combine well. Form the lamb mixture into 6 even patties.
• Open the dried peppers and shake out the seeds (a few seeds left in is ok). Add the peppers to a saucepan with the water, and boil over medium heat until only 1/4 cup of liquid remains at the bottom. Add the peppers (with cooking liquid), sour cream, oil, garlic and lime to a blender, and blend it until very smooth. Add the salt and blend again. Pour in enough cream to thin the mixture to a saucy consistency. Pulse a few times to incorporate and get squirtable consistency.
• Grill the lamb patties and the ciabatta until nice, dark grill marks are everywhere (lamb is at its juiciest around medium-rare). Put about 1 teaspoon of the sauce on each side of the bun. Slice the patties in half to lay lengthwise on the bread. Crumble the Cotija cheese over the top. Dress Add the onion, tomato slices and lettuce. Cut sandwich lengthwise (along the seam of the lamb patty) and plate with the cross-section facing outward.

SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put lamb and onion into a food processor (in batches if your machine is small) and pulse until coarsely ground. Put in a bowl with chili, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix, handling the meat as little as possible, until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.
• To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.
• Garnish with diced mango, green and red pepper, red onion and scallion, and with shredded carrot and lettuce.

LATIN-SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• For the patties: Toast pepper, coriander and cumin together in a dry pan until they crackle and pop (shake pan constantly). Their color should be light brown, and spices should smell like toast, popcorn, smoky, etc. Pour them straight into a coffee grinder and blend the seeds to a fine powder. Mix all spices, garlic and salt well into the lamb. Form into 6 even patties.
• For the sauce: After weighing, rip the dried peppers open to shake out the seeds (a few seeds left in is ok). Throw the peppers in a saucepan with the water, and boil over medium heat until only 1/4 cup of liquid remains at the bottom. Add the peppers (with cooking liquid), sour cream, oil, garlic and lime to the blender, and blend it until very smooth. Add salt and blend again. Add cream and pulse a few times just to incorporate and get a saucy, squirtable consistency.
• Grill the lamb patties and the ciabatta until nice, dark grill marks are everywhere (lamb is at its juiciest around medium rare). Put about 1 teaspoon of sauce on each side of the bun. Slice the patties in half to lay lengthwise on the bread, and crumble Cotija cheese on top. Dress with plenty of juicy tomato slices, onion and lettuce. Cut sandwich lengthwise (along the seam of the lamb patty) and plate with cross-section facing outward.

CUMIN-SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Start a charcoal or gas grill, or heat a broiler. The fire should not be too hot, and the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source.
• Combine all ingredients except lemon in a food processor, and pulse on and off until meat is ground. Shape into burgers, and grill about 8 minutes total for rare meat, turning once. Squeeze lemon juice over burgers and serve on toasted buns.

MOROCCAN-SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the lamb, onion, bread crumbs, mint, garlic, cumin, coriander, 3/4 tsp salt, and the cayenne. Using your hands, mix gently but thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form each into an oval patty about 4 1/2 inches long and about 3/4 inch thick.
• In a small bowl, stir together the tomato and cilantro and season with salt. Let the patties and the tomato mixture stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. If refrigerated, remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling.
• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over high heat.
• Grill the burgers over the hottest part of a charcoal fire or directly over the heat elements of a gas grill, turning once, until nicely charred and cooked to your liking, 5-6 minutes per side for medium. About 1 minute before the burgers are done, place the pita breads along the edges of a charcoal grill where the heat is less intense, or on an area of a gas grill with lower heat, so they can warm.
• To assemble the sandwiches, coat the pockets of the pita breads lightly with some of the yogurt, then slip a lamb burger into each bread. Add the tomato mixture, sprouts, and the remaining yogurt, or serve these condiments on the side.

GRILLED SPICY LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Preheat grill for medium heat.
• Place the lamb in a large bowl, and mix with the mint, cilantro, oregano, garlic, sherry, vinegar, and molasses. Season with cumin, allspice, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, and mix well. Shape into 4 patties.
• Brush grill grate with oil. Grill burgers 5 minutes on each side, or until well done. Heat the pita pocket briefly on the grill. Serve burgers wrapped in pitas with feta cheese.

SPICED LAMB BURGERS WITH SPRING SLAW

Steps:

• Make the yogurt sauce:
• Whisk yogurt, oil, lemon zest, salt, and garlic in a medium bowl until combined.
• Do Ahead: Yogurt sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Make and assemble the burgers:
• Mix paprika, cayenne, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper in a small bowl.
• Shape lamb into 4 patties about 3/4" thick. Season with spice mixture on both sides.
• Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in batches if needed, cook patties until underside is browned, 5-6 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on other side, 4-5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss asparagus, snap peas, onion, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl.
• Generously spread yogurt sauce on cut sides of buns. Build each burger with a lamb patty and a mound of slaw. You will probably have extra slaw left over-serve it alongside.