Lamb burgers are one of my favorite foods.  Emily, a friend and avid CrossFitter at our gym, has a blog of tasty recipes and when I saw this one, I knew I needed to share it here. Enjoy! And then go check out her blog at www.upcloseandedible.blogspot.com

Red Onion Relish

  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Lamb Burger

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ~12 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 pounds ground lamb

Herb “Aioli”

  • 4 ounces yogurt (greek yogurt or your favorite dairy free kind)
  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1 inch shavings with vegetable shaver
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Squeeze of 1/2 lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Other

  • 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • 4 beets
  • 4 ounces fresh chevre goat cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Start by getting the beets in the oven: If your beets have stems, leave about 1 inch of the stem, but the cut rest of the greens off. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. You might need to roast them longer if they are big. When they are done, open up each foil packet and let cool.

Next, start the onion relish: In a saucepan on medium heat, add the onions, red wine vinegar, and coconut sugar. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare the lamb burger meat: Place all the ingredients in a bowl with the lamb and, using your fingers, combine. Don’t overwork the meat. Form four generous-sized patties. Preheat a large cast iron skillet.

Go back to the onions: After the red onions have cooked for 15 minutes, add the wine, maple syrup, and water to the saucepan. Replace the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. If at any time the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, try lowering the heat or add a bit of water. When done, shut off the heat and keep covered while you finish up the rest of the meal.

Now back to the lamb burgers: Once your cast iron skillet is hot, cook the lamb patties, flipping once, until desired done-ness. 145 degrees Fahrenheit is medium-rare. Remove from heat and allow to rest.

While patties are cooking/resting prepare your “aioli.” Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. That’s it.

Remove the skins from your beets (they should slip right off with your fingers). Cut off the stems and slice 1/8″ thick.

Add the pomegranate seeds to your red onion relish.

To serve, place a bed of spinach on a plate. Fan the beets over the spinach. Place your lamb burger patty on the beets. Top with a scoop of aioli and a generous scoop of red onion relish. Sprinkle with goat cheese. To get fancy, garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Serves 4

Recipe by Emily Whitish at www.upcloseandedible.blogspot.com