Lamb Burger with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Relish

Ingredients

Yields: 4 servings
  • 2 lbs coarsely ground lamb
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ cup red onion, chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ head Iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • 2 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 avocados, peeled & seeded
  • 1 French baguette, sliced horizontally in half and toasted just before serving
  • Wooden skewers, soaked in water for several hours
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

 

Red Bell Pepper Relish:

  • ¼ tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped fine
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 plum tomatoes-blanched, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • ½ teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 6 basil leaves, minced
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

To make the relish:
Heat sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add in the sugar, bell pepper, tomatoes, thyme, and salt and pepper, and cook for five minutes. Stir in the fresh basil.

To make the burgers:
In a bowl, combine the ground lamb, lemon zest, cumin, and coriander. In addition, add the minced garlic and chopped red onion. Add pepper to taste. Heat a sauté pan over a medium-high flame. Divide the lamb mixture into 12 evenly sized balls. With wet hands, shape into mini-burgers. Thread three mini-burgers onto two soaked skewers. Season patties with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the heated sauté pan, then add the burgers and cook for about two minutes on each side.

To assemble the burger:
Mix the iceberg lettuce together with the mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Slice the avocado in ¼” slices.

Place the bottom half of the baguette on a plate. Cover with a layer of the iceberg lettuce, followed by a layer of avocado slices. Lay the burgers on top and remove the skewers. Top the burgers with the red pepper relish. Lay the top half of the baguette on top and serve.