Peppered Lamb Burgers With Hot Tomato Jam Recipes

LAMB BURGERS WITH RED-AND GREEN-TOMATO CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Prepare grill for cooking.
• Make chutney:
• Boil vinegar, syrup, garlic, ginger, cumin, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan until thickened and reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully). Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes and salt to taste. Stir in cilantro just before serving.
• Make burgers:
• Form lamb into 4 (3/4-inch-thick) patties and season with salt and pepper. Grill on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
• Serve burgers with chutney.

SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put lamb and onion into a food processor (in batches if your machine is small) and pulse until coarsely ground. Put in a bowl with chili, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix, handling the meat as little as possible, until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.
• To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.
• Garnish with diced mango, green and red pepper, red onion and scallion, and with shredded carrot and lettuce.

LAMB BURGERS WITH CHARRED TOMATOES AND FETA

Steps:

• Add the cumin, coriander, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the ground lamb to a large bowl and break up slightly with a fork. Add the spice mixture to the lamb and using clean hands, mix the meat so the spice mixture is evenly dispersed. Form the meat into 4 equal size patties to fit the size of the buns.
• Brush the grates of an outdoor grill with oil and preheat to medium-high. On one side of the grill add the burgers and cook until the internal temperature is 145 degrees F, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the burgers to a plate. Once you remove the burgers, place the buns, cut side- down on the grill to lightly toast, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble burgers: Lay buns on a clean work surface, cut side-up. Spread the Tzatziki Sauce evenly on the top and bottom halves of the buns. Place a patty on each of the bottom buns and top with Charred Tomatoes and Feta. Place the top buns on and serve.
• Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater. Using clean hands, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the cucumber. Add it to a small bowl and stir in the sour cream, dill, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Add the tomatoes to a large bowl and place the onions on top. Add the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and, using clean hands, rub the onions so they are coated in olive oil, but try to keep them intact in their rings. Lay the onions on a plate or rimmed baking sheet. The residual salt and oil will have dripped down to the tomatoes, so give them a slight toss to coat them. Skewer the tomatoes on a metal or wood skewer. This will help them not fall through the grates of the grill. (If using a wood skewer then be sure to soak in water for 30 minutes before using.)
• Brush the grates of an outdoor grill with oil and preheat to medium-high. Add the onions and tomatoes and grill until the onions are charred in places and the tomatoes are slightly bursting, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the onions and tomatoes and add to a medium bowl. Using kitchen shears, roughly cut up the onions and tomatoes. Add the crumbled feta and toss to combine. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

PEPPERED LAMB BURGERS WITH "HOT TOMATO" JAM

Steps:

• 1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
• Taste and add the remaining pepper sauce to taste. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency, and then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Stir the basil into the cooled mixture and season to taste with salt. Set aside.
• 2. To make the jam, combine the tomatoes, sugar, ginger, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper sauce in a flame-proof nonreactive saucepan. Place the pan on the grill rack and bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally and moving on and off the heat as necessary, until the mixture is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
• Move the pan to the coolest part of the rack and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.
• 3. To make the patties, combine the lamb, peppercorn blend, garlic, sesame oil, and Merlot in a large bowl and season with salt. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the buns.
• 4. Brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.
• 5. To assemble the burgers, spread the cut sides of the buns with the tomato jam. On each bun bottom, place a lettuce leaf and a patty. Add the bun tops and serve.