Lamb Burgers

Boston was freezing yesterday. It wasn’t just a normal winter’s chill, but a wear-your-coat indoors, bitter frostbite. It was so cold out that Alex and I were unable to turn on our grill, which was quite inconvenient, as I was making lamb burgers for dinner. In the future, I will probably stick to indoor recipes when the temperature descends below 10 degrees.

I have been hesitant to cook burgers indoors ever since a Fourth of July incident a few years ago, which involved the Cambridge Fire Department and the evacuation of our entire apartment building. Unfortunately, the grill’s malfunction left me with little choice. I ended up cooking the burgers on my stove and finishing them in the oven, a method that surprisingly did not smoke up my apartment.

The results were a great success. Jalapenos, shallots, herbs and spices created a truly flavorful dish — more of a large kofte patty than a traditional burger. With it I served a beet salsa that was delicious on its own, but didn’t blend well with the lamb. The next time I make these burgers, I will nix the beets and prepare a delicious tzatziki for a sublime meal.

Lamb Burger:

Adapted from Paul Gaylor’s recipe in Bon Appetit, July 2006

1 shallot, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbs cilantro, minced

1 tbs fresh mint, minced

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1 3/4 lbs ground lamb

Stir shallot, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, mint, paprika and cumin in a large bowl. Gently mix in lamb and form into four thick patties. Grill on medium-high heat to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare.