Grilled Middle Eastern Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki
After coming home from a trip to Israel, I couldn’t wait to try to re-create some of the many wonderful flavors we experienced at the local cafes, markets and restaurants. The best Middle Eastern dishes are those that build flavor using layers of carefully chosen spices. To keep this recipe simple, while not sacrificing taste, I have used the more readily available garam masala which is composed of a mixture of aromatic spices commonly found in many regional dishes.
Yields: about 6 burgers
Yields: about 6 burgers
Ingredients
Herb and Spice Mix
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons garam masala see MPM Mini-Bite
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cayenne to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
- 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios
- Oil for grill rack
Instructions
- Herb and Spice Mix: in a small bowl, combine all ingredients.
- In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium-high setting. Sauté onions, garlic and 1/2 of the Herb and Spice Mix for about 5 minutes or until onions are softened and nicely browned. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, mix together onion mixture, ground lamb, pistachios and remainder of Herb and Spice Mix. Form into 6 patties.
- Grill the Burgers: lightly oil grill rack; pre-heat grill to medium-high setting. Grill burgers for about 3 minutes on each side or until reaches desired level of doneness. Allow burgers to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Grilling not an option? Burgers may also be cooked on a stovetop pan, following the same method.
- Serve with Tzatziki. Other wonderful accompaniments would be Israeli Couscous with Chickpeas ‘n Veggies and Israeli Salad with Mint and Feta.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: uncooked burgers may be refrigerated, covered up to 1 day before grilling. Store cooked burgers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 4 months. Reheat at 275 degrees F for about 8 minutes or just until heated through.
Garam masala is not a single spice. Rather it is made up of a collection of heady spices such as ground cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg mixed with black pepper which gives foods a sweet flavor with a bit of a “bite.” Experiment with it in soups as well as fish, seafood, beef and poultry dishes that call for an exotic taste…
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