Burger Night!

This week, Matt’s cousins from Utah came into town and I wanted to make a nice dinner. Since you can’t go wrong with burgers, I figured a nice juicy burger would be a good choice. But…this is me we’re talking about. So I couldn’t just make any burger…

Indian Style Lamb Burger

1 1/2  lbs ground lamb

1/2 lb ground pork (or beef, but pork is much cheaper and with the lamb being so expensive…)

1 shallot or half a small red onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, grated

1-inch piece ginger, grated

1 tsp each of turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala, chili powder

1/2 tsp each smoked paprika and black pepper

1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and red pepper flakes

4-6 tbls crumbled feta

4 sliced smoked mozzarella

4 brioche buns

Heat a grill pan to high and brush with oil. In a large bowl, add the meat and spices and grate in the onion, garlic and ginger. Combine with your hands until all ingredients are just incorporated (over-mixing will lead to tough burgers). Make 8 even balls and flatten them out. Pile the feta onto 4 of the patties and put the other 4 patties on top. Seal the edges so the feta will not come out. Put the burgers on the grill pan and sear for 3 minutes on each side. Then lay the slices of mozzarella on the burgers and cover the entire pan with tin foil and allow to cook another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut open the rolls and toast them, then slather both sides of the rolls with Indian BBQ Sauce (recipe to follow) and put greens (anything you have around) on the top side. When the burgers are done, put them on the bottom of each roll and put the lettuce and top of the bun on top. Serve with salt and vinegar chips (or any kind you like). These burgers are HUGE so…Happy, and messy, eating!

Indian BBQ Sauce

2 tbls light oil

3 apples, julienned

1/2 large onion, sliced

3 tbls tomato paste

1-inch piece ginger, grated

3 tbls stock

1/3 cup tomato sauce (its fine if it has flavor, whatever you have)

1 tbls garam masala

1 tsp each turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder and paprika

6-8 cardamom pods, wrapped in 1 layer of cheese cloth and tied

2 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

Salt to taste

1/3 cup craisins

In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat saute the apple and onion in the oil until they begin to caramelize. Add the tomato paste and grate in the ginger and stir briefly to wake up the tomato paste.  Add the stock to deglaze the pan, then add the remaining ingredients. Don’t be afraid if you taste it and it’s not very good—the spices and flavors need time to meld and combine. Allow to cook, covered, for no less than half an hour. You might want to make extra as a dipping sauce or anything really. It’s really delicious, and if you add some fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley, it will really brighten it up, so you can thin it out with water and use it as a marinade or a sauce. Go crazy!