Lamb Burgers

If this doesn't look delicious, maybe it's time you started seeing other cooking teachers.

This exotic sounding variation on an all American classic is deceptively simple to make and even easier to eat. Lamb provides a richer, gamier flavor while herbs, spices and feta take your taste buds on a cruise through the Mediterranean. Serve with olives, designer sunglasses and plenty of chest hair.

Equipment Needed: Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Mixing Bowl, Frying Pan w/ Lid, Spatula

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 4

Suggested Wine Pairing: Rioja, Tempranillo, Merlot or Malbec

Suggested Beer Pairing: Brown Ales, Extra Special Bitter (ESB), Scotch Ales, Winter Ales

Ingredients:

• 1lb. ground lamb ($4.99/lb)
• 2 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 1 tsp oregano (about $3/jar)
• 1 tsp ground cumin (about $3.50/jar)
• 1 small red onion ($1.50/lb)
• Boston or Red Leaf lettuce ($2.50/lb)
• Chunk feta cheese ($4/8 oz)
• Hamburger buns ($3/8 pack
• Tzatziki sauce (about $5/tub; yeah, we copped out on this one; we’ll teach you how to make your own in another lesson)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Mince your garlic and throw it in your mixing bowl with the lamb, cumin and oregano. Add 1-2 tsps each of salt and pepper and mix it all together with your hands. (This is not only the easiest, but the most fun way to do it. Get over your raw meat hang ups and get on with it).

Get in there and mix it up.

• Grab about a fistful of meat and flatten it into a patty about 1/2 an inch thick. Now go wash your hands thoroughly with soap.

Form the patties evenly so they cook through in the same amount of time.

• Place the frying pan over medium heat and, once hot, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Put your burger patties in and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. About 2 minutes after you’ve flipped the burgers, put a big slice of feta on top and put the lid on the pan for the last couple of minutes.

Sound the alarms, it's a meltdown.

• Slip that meat in between a your buns (double entendre very intended). Slice the red onion thinly and dress your burger along with a couple of leaves of lettuce. Smear on tzatziki sauce to your heart’s content and enjoy.