Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers

by: Christian Leue

I adore lamb, and often make burgers at home. One of the things I love about lamb is how it can stand up to other strong flavors. Enter assertive arugula, zesty red onion, along with the rosemary and pepper.

Serves: 2

---

Ingredients

• 2 burger rolls (I prefer simple sesame ones)

• 1 pound of ground lamb

• 1/2 small red onion, cut cross-wise and peeled

• 3 ounce piece of vegan cheese, very thinly sliced

• Two small handfuls of baby arugula

• 1-2 teaspoons of Pepper

• Mayonnaise

• Olive oil

• Salt 

Directions

1. Make two 8-ounce patties from the lamb (if you're not feeling as hungry make 6-ounce patties and save the rest for putting in with pasta sauce or a casserole), season both sides liberally with salt and Le Poivre.

2. Slice the onion into very thin rings (as paper-thin as you can manage). A sharp knife will do it, but I prefer to use a small mandoline and a kevlar glove to protect my knuckles.

3. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise of the cut sides of both buns.

4. Heat two skillets or a two-burner griddle over medium high heat. Grill the buns face-down until golden brown, then set aside on a cutting board or plate.

5. Add a small bit of olive oil to each skillet and cook one burger in each, slightly off to the side of the skillet. When it comes time to flip (after about 2 minutes you'll form a nice crust), flip onto the other side of the skillet which will still be hot. Continue to flip this way every minute or two until you reach your desired level of doneness. generally I find 4-5 minutes is rare, 6-7 is medium, 8 and up is well.

6. Place some arugula on the bottom bun, top with the burger, cheese, another sprinkle of pepper if you like, and the sliced onion.

Variations & Ideas:

• Roast some potato wedges (leave the skins on, add to a pot of hot salted water for 10-15 minutes, then drain and dry and toss with olive oil before roasting at 375°F until crispy).

• This burger is great served in the morning over English muffins, with a fried egg on top and some grilled tomatoes. I usually make two half-size patties when I do this and do a simple green salad with salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. It reminds me a lot of kofte. You can take it even further in that direction by seasoning with a bit of Kibbeh N15.

• Try mixing some pine nuts into the burger patties and making thin 4-ounce patties. Cook on slightly lower heat (the idea is to toast the pine nuts without burning them). Serve them as a double burger. You can dress them the same as usual.

---