Herbed Lamb Burgers
Normally when I make lamb burgers, I do your basic “add salt and pepper to ground lamb, shape into patties, and grill them until they’re done” recipe, which isn’t really a recipe, right? They are always good, but this time I decided to take them up a notch and try something new. I had some fresh rosemary and thyme leftover from another recipe and thought they would be a perfect complement to the lamb. In reality, they turned out to be almost as quick and easy as the lamb burgers I normally make, but with a ton more flavor and complexity.
To top them off, I made a super simple tomato-avocado salsa, but I used lemon juice instead of lime juice to give it more of a Mediterranean feel. Now if I could only have transplanted my family to the Mediterranean to eat them…
If you don’t have any ground lamb lying around or simply don’t care for it, this recipe would taste great using ground pork or ground beef. Or, to lower the fat significantly, use ground turkey.
I didn’t have any buns to serve the burgers in, but with the salsa on top and a green salad served alongside, I was plenty full when I was done eating! Another thing I thought would taste great on these would be some crumbled feta cheese, but again, I didn’t have any. Next time, I shall be better prepared!
Enjoy!
Add the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper to the ground lamb. Mix well and shape into four patties; grill as directed.
Chop the tomatoes. Add the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; toss to combine. Add the avocado last so it doesn’t break up with too much mixing.
I always feel there should be a choir of angels singing an “Hallelujah” when I open an avocado and it looks so perfect! Cut it up and add to the tomato mixture. Toss gently and cover the surface with plastic wrap.
Herbed Lamb Burgers
Yield: 4 servings
Nutrition Info (per serving): 342 cals, 20 g pro, 6 g carb, 27 g fat, 77 mg cholesterol, 10 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 438 mg sodium
Ingredients:
1 pound ground lamb
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup quartered or halved red or yellow grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 avocado, chopped
Method:
1. In a medium bowl combine lamb, rosemary, thyme, 2 to 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well; shape into four 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick patties.
2. Grill lamb patties on the grill rack directly over medium coals or heat for 9 to 11 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into side of patties registers 160°F, turning once halfway through grilling.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine tomatoes, lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a dash or two of freshly ground pepper. Toss gently to mix. Add avocado; toss gently to mix. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent avocado from discoloring.
4. Serve lamb patties in toasted buns if desired. Spoon tomato mixture onto burgers just before serving.
