Jun 20, 2014
Lamb Burger with Molten Goat Cheese Core
Makes 4 burgers
We North Americans eat so much ground beef that we almost forget
what beef tastes like. When you eat a lamb burger you actually
taste the lamb and it makes for a deliciously different grilling
experience. The goat cheese stuffing adds an orgiastic twist. Don’t
forget to freeze the goat cheese!
For the tzatziki:
1 tsp | 5 mL ground cumin
1 cup | 250 mL plain Greek
full-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp | 15 mL finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 long English cucumber, finely grated
To finish the burgers:
Mediterranean Herbed Butter (see recipe below)
2 large fresh rounds of pita bread
fresh sliced tomatoes
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh arugula, washed and
dried
For the patties:
11/2 lb | 750 g ground lamb
2 Tbsp | 25 mL chopped fresh mint
1 tsp | 5 mL dried oregano
1/2 tsp | 2 mL kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 oz | 75 g soft goat cheese (chèvre),
frozen and sliced into 4 1/2-inch | 1 cm discs
2 Tbsp | 25 mL softened Mediterranean
Herbed Butter (see recipe below)
kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
To make the tzatziki, dry-fry the ground cumin over medium heat for
30 seconds, or until it becomes fragrant and browns just slightly.
Transfer the cumin from the hot pan into a bowl. Add the yogurt,
mint, and cucumber, mix them together thoroughly, cover the
tzatziki, and refrigerate it until it’s needed.
Gently mix the lamb with the mint, oregano, salt, and a few
grindings of pepper in a nonreactive bowl with your hands. Divide
the meat into 4 equal portions and shape them into balls. Make a
hole in each patty with your thumb and insert a disc of frozen goat
cheese. Carefully seal the hole and shape the ball into a patty 3/4
inch | 2 cm thick, making sure to cover the cheese with the meat.
Season the outside of the patties with salt and pepper. Lightly
brush them with olive oil and grill them over medium direct heat
for 4–5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is
160˚F | 71˚C.
Take the burgers off the grill and spread a thin layer of the
herbed butter on top of each one (if you don’t have any herbed
butter, drizzle them with a little olive oil—just enough to make
them glisten). Let them rest for 3–4 minutes. Just before you’re
ready to serve them, toast the pitas on the grill for 10–15 seconds
per side. Cut the pitas in half, open them up, and stuff the
burgers inside. Dress them with the tomatoes, onion, arugula, and
tzatziki.
Mediterranean
Butter
4 Tbsp | 50 mL finely chopped flat-leaf
Italian parsley
4 Tbsp | 50 mL finely chopped combination of fresh dill,
basil, or mint (or any combination of fresh herbs—try chervil,
tarragon, sage, rosemary, etc.)
1 lb | 500 g unsalted butter
kosher salt to taste
Cut the butter into cubes and place them in a food processor. Add
the flavoring ingredients and whiz the mixture until it’s
thoroughly blended, stopping to scrape down the stuff that sticks
to the sides of the food processor as needed. If you’re serving the
butter right away with corn, or on a piece of grilled meat, just
place it in a small bowl and serve it.
If you want to store it, use a spatula to transfer the butter onto
a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap and shape it into a rough
cylinder. Fold the wrap around the butter and shape it into an even
tube about 11⁄2 inches | 4 cm in diameter. Twist the ends so the
tube is sealed and tight, and fasten both ends with a twist-tie.
Refrigerate or freeze the butter until you need it. To serve, slice
off discs of it. Thaw it a while before dressing steaks or corn
with it, or use it still frozen to stuff inside a
burger.
Mimi’s Tabbouleh
(Couscous Salad)
Makes 8 servings as a side
This recipe from my friend Michele Allaire uses instant couscous,
which is moistened by all the juices that come out of the
vegetables as they sit with the grain in the fridge. It is usually
served as a side with lamb but can be an attractive alternative
main course for a vegetarian guest. To “beef” it up, add blanched
green beans, blanched carrots, and cooked chick peas.
1 package (about 10 oz | 300 g) instant couscous
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp | 15 mL red onion cut into 1/4-inch | 5 mm dice
1 cup | 250 mL long English cucumber cut into
1/4-inch | 5 mm dice
1/2 red or green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch | 5 mm dice
1 cup | 250 mL fresh tomato cut into 1/4-inch | 5 mm dice
1 cup | 250 mL chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp | 15 mL finely chopped fresh mint
1 tsp | 5 mL kosher salt
1/2 tsp | 10 mL freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp | 15 mL ground cumin
4 Tbsp | 60 mL lemon juice
1 cup | 250 mL good-quality extra virgin olive oil
Pour the entire package of uncooked couscous into a large bowl. Add
the remaining ingredients, mix them together well, and let the
tabbouleh sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Remove it from
the fridge at least 1 hour before serving. Mix it again, taste it,
and adjust the seasoning and oil to taste.