Aug 22, 2014
Curried Lamb Burgers with Fresh Peach Chutney and Minted Yoghurt
Sauce
Makes four burgers
I love lamb burgers, and this one is a doozy. Here’s my adaptation
of an incredibly delicious recipe by Canadian food icon Lucy
Waverman. I’ve gilded the lily by adding a fresh peach chutney and
minted yoghurt sauce. Serve it with a Greek Salad or some tabbouleh
(see recipe below) on the side.
For the burgers:
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger
1 tsp | 5 mL chopped garlic
1 Tbsp | 15 mL garam masala
1 Tbsp | 15 mL mango chutney
1 ½ pounds | 750g ground lamb
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp | 25 mL melted butter
4 smallish pitas (the kind that can be made into pockets - you can
also use naan bread or flour tortillas)
For the spiced mint butter:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup chopped mint
1/2 tsp | 3 mL ground cumin
1/2 tsp | 3 mL ground coriander
1/2 tsp | 3 mL ground fennel
1/2 tsp | 3 mL cracked peppercorns
1 tsp | 5 mL kosher salt
For the peach chutney (you can substitute bought mango chutney to
simplify this dish):
1 Tbsp | 15 mL sugar
1/4 cup | 50 mL rice vinegar
4 medium peaches, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch | 1 cm dice
2 Tbsp | 25 mL finely grated fresh ginger
For the yogurt sauce:
11/2 tsp | 7 mL honey
11/2 tsp | 7 mL finely chopped fresh mint
pinch ground cumin
pinch turmeric
1 cup | 250 mL plain low-fat yogurt
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the peach chutney, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a
nonreactive saucepan over moderately high heat. Bring the mixture
to a boil and cook it for 1 minute. Stir in the peaches and ginger
and return the chutney to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the
chutney, stirring it frequently, until the fruit is softened, about
5 minutes. Transfer it to a bowl.
To make the yoghurt sauce, combine the honey, mint, cumin, and
turmeric in a medium bowl. Whisk in the yogurt until it’s blended
and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and
refrigerate the sauce.
To make spiced mint butter (about 1/2 cup), combine butter,
mint, cumin, coriander, fennel and peppercorns. Spread over top of
cooked lamb burgers and sprinkle a little Maldon salt over the
butter. Serves 4.
Prepare your grill for high direct cooking. Combine all the burger
ingredients except lamb in a food processor and whiz them till
they’re smooth. Transfer to a bowl, add the lamb, season with salt
and pepper, and gently mix everything together with your hands.
Before you make the patties, take a teaspoon of the mixture and fry
it in a sauté pan with a little oil and taste it. If needed,
incorporate some more salt and pepper.
Divide the burger mix evenly into 4 portions and shape them
into 1-inch-thick patties. Brush them with melted butter and grill
for 4 to 5 minutes a side or until desired doneness.
To serve, slather some of the spiced mint butter onto the burger
patties, cut the burgers in half, and stuff them into pita pockets,
two per person. Let your guests dress them with the condiments to
their taste.
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.