Monday, January 14, 2013

Lebanese Hamburgers

These are usually baked in pita shells but they're just as good eaten as burgers, especially if you grill them outside. Yummy with a cucumber salad.

1 lb ground 80/20 grass-fed beef or lamb (because you know that corn headache will come a-knocking if it isn't!), room temperature so it will mix more easily and absorb the flavors faster
1/2 large, or 1 small white onion, coarsely chopped (use a white onion, please; yellow is too sweet)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Handful parsley
1 TB EVOO
2 rounded tsp garam masala (I use Spice Islands)
2 TB lemon juice
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
Kosher salt
EVOO

Get your barbeque coals ready or preheat a skillet over medium heat. Combine the onion, garlic and parsley in a food processor and pulse until it's all very finely minced. Put into a large bowl, add the EVOO, garam masala, lemon juice and pine nuts, and mix together until everything's evenly distributed. Break up the meat as you drop it into the bowl; the more you break it up, the less mixing you'll have to do and the warmth from your hands won't toughen the meat. Season with kosher salt and mix with your hands as you would a meat loaf. Form 4 patties, drizzle a light coating of EVOO over each side, and cook about 4 minutes on each side. Let the patties rest a few minutes before serving.



2 comments:

  1. This was absolutely delicious when I made it... of course I messed up the whole pita thing but it was still a hit at the dinner table. I bet you could make lettuce wraps out of it too...

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  2. Easily! Plus the lettuce would catch the juices ;-)

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