Lamb Burgers with Feta Sauce

Source: New York Times 12-14-08

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 14 ounces ground lamb
• 6 ounces ground pork
• ¼ cup diced charred onion
• 2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp minced parsley
• 1 tsp minced mint
• 1 tsp dried Greek oregano
• 1 tsp minced dill
• ½ tsp crushed coriander seeds, toasted
• ½ tsp cumin, toasted
• 4 Brioche buns, toasted
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp feta
• 1½ tsp dill
• 1½ tsp mint
• 6 pitted green olives, chopped
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices sweet onion
• 16 arugula leaves
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp olive oil

Method

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Grill the garlic and ¼ cup onion until soft and blackened. Peel and mince garlic. Place in a large bowl with the remaining burger ingredients (except the buns and olive oil). Season with salt and pepper. Quickly mix until combined, then refrigerate.

2. Make the feta sauce: In a food processor, puree the feta, dill, mint and olives. Drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste.

3. Divide the meat into 4 half-inch-high patties. Brush with oil and grill to medium rare, about 3 minutes per side.

4. Grill the onion slices until limp. Cool and put in a bowl with the arugula. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil and season to taste.

5. Place each burger on a bun, spread with sauce and top with arugula and an onion slice.

Notes

I didn’t have coriander seeds so used powder, no fresh dill so used dried. That worked just fine.

I used another tbsp of Feta because the olives seemed big. That was a good idea.