Lamb Burgers with Cumin Mayonnaise and Feta

A lot of our food inspiration comes from experiences we have while eating out, traveling, or exploring new foods and ingredients. This particular recipe was directly inspired by April Bloomfield's lamb burger from The Breslin in New York City after Andy had the lucky experience of sampling it there for himself. He came back from New York raving about this silly lamb burger, so I asked him to describe it. He told me it was a lamb patty topped with salty feta, red onion, and some sort of cumin mayonnaise on a ciabatta-style roll... and that was about it. Salty, lamby, melt-in-your-mouth perfect burger goodness. I was jealous! Because we haven't had a chance to go [back] to The Breslin, we decided to make our own version of their famous burger at home, and after many trials we have a version that comes pretty darn close, according to Andy anyways. 

After doing some research, we found out that chef Bloomfield has a bakery that creates rolls specifically for her lamb burger, and because we haven't found the perfect Bostonian substitute we often just eat this bunless (we convince ourselves we do it that way because it's healthier... whatever, don't judge). Oh, and as a note on the red onion... don't skip it! It's the secret ingredient, I swear :o)

Thanks to the folks at Lilac Hedge Farm for bringing their delicious ground lamb to our local farmer's market!

Lamby goodness from Lilac Hedge Farm...mmmm

Lamb Burgers with Cumin Mayonnaise and Feta

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 lb ground lamb
kosher salt
oil, for greasing skillet

toppings:
4 ounces of feta cheese, sliced into four 1/4 inch slices
1/4 red onion, peeled and sliced thin
ciabatta rolls (optional)


Directions
In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and cumin and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Form the lamb into four patties and allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes (ideally). Generously salt both sides of the burgers with kosher salt. 
Heat a cast iron skillet to medium heat and lightly oil, then add the burgers. Cook on each side for approximately 3 minutes, then transfer the skillet to the oven for about 5-8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the burgers is 145 degrees for medium rare (160 for medium). Remove to a plate and cover with foil to rest for about 5 more minutes before serving (resting is important to keep the burgers juicy!). 

Top each burger with some of the cumin mayo, a slice of feta, and some thinly sliced red onion. Serve and enjoy! Yum!

Greek Quesadillas

Thanks to Pinterest (my newest obsession) I have been discovering all types of new recipes and edible treats to try... where to begin?? Well, one particular idea that immediately made my mouth water was Greek Quesadillas. I love gyros, I love quesadillas, I love finger foods, so why haven't I thought of this before? We have come up with a wonderful version of easy-to-make lamb gyros, so I used that when making my own version of these Greek quesadillas. I think that these would be perfect for entertaining, tailgating, or for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. The best part is that each component can be made ahead of time (the tzatziki is better the next day, anyways) and then assembled and cooked right before serving. Rich and crispy lamb, cool tzatziki, and fresh crunchy vegetables come together for a delicious fusion meal. Yum!

Greek Quesadillas

Makes 4-6

Ingredients:

Tzatziki

1/2 english cucumber

1/2 tbsp. salt

6 oz. greek yogurt

2 oz. crumbled feta

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Lamb

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 lbs. ground lamb

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 red onion, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. tomato paste

4 tbsp. dry red wine

Assembly

1 tomato, seeded and chopped fine

1/2 red onion, chopped fine

1/2 cucumber, chopped fine

flour tortillas

shredded mozzarella cheese

Make the tzatziki: using a box grater, shred the cucumber on the side with the largest holes. Put cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes to draw some of the water out of the cucumber. After 10-15 minutes, rinse and squeeze out the cucumber to remove as much liquid as possible. In a small bowl, mix together the cucumber, yogurt, feta, and garlic. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to eat (the flavors blend really well after a day or so, but it's still really good right after you make it).

Make the lamb: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the lamb and stir frequently to break apart the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for 8-10 minutes or until the lamb is getting brown and crispy, and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the onions, garlic, and oregano and continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the onions have softened. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the meat. Add the red wine and continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated.

To assemble the quesadillas: Preheat a nonstick pan or panini press. Sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese on 1/2 of a tortilla. Layer some of the lamb on top of the cheese (it depends on the size of the tortilla, but I was able to make 6 quesadillas with the size I used). Sprinkle on some diced cucumber, tomato, and onion, then top with a little more mozzarella cheese for the glue. Fold over the tortilla and cook in a panini press or in a nonstick skillet until golden brown and the cheese is melty. Slice into wedges and serve with the tzatziki for dipping. Enjoy! :o)