Don't be fooled - these are wee little burgers!I can count on one hand the number of times I've had meat in the past three and a half weeks. I haven't really missed it, except the burger thought bubble that just won't pop, especially after reading A Hamburger Today consistently all summer long without making burgers myself.
At Sofie's Bistro several months ago, I had a yummy pea crostini app. Ever since then, I've been dying to make a version of it. Having had ample time to fixate on my kitchen while away, I mentally constructed this dish many times, and consulted a million recipes. Here's the final incarnation.
Lamb Sliders with Pea Mash
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground lamb
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. minced shallot
1 1/2 cups peas, steamed
1 1/2 cups peas, steamed
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
4 tbsp. nonfat Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
small hamburger buns (Publix dinner rolls are perfect-- slightly sweet, made with the same dough as their bigger buns)
Directions:
Using your hands in a large bowl, mix lamb, 2 tbsp. basil, shallot, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter, making a depression in the center of each. Set on wax paper on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for about thirty minutes.
Meanwhile, using a potato ricer in a (different) large bowl, mash up peas, remaining basil, yogurt, and salt and pepper to taste. Set this in the fridge.
Heat a large pan and fry burgers to desired doneness, especially if it's raining out and your grill is inaccessible. Top each bun with a burger and a dollop of pea mash and press on the top bun.
Makes 4 sliders, with perhaps a bit of leftover mash.
Results: Easy and delicious. Peas and lamb were made for each other. Next time, I'll leave the burger plain, with just salt and pepper, and work some chopped red onion into the pea mixture for crunch (my husband suggests bacon for crunch). Mint would be darn good, instead of or in addition to basil. We drank this with a 2006 cab-syrah blend from Big Tattoo. Great wine, great cause.
Proof that a great burger doesn't have to have cheese (but wouldn't a little square of cheddar be beautiful?).
4 comments:
Your posts are almost always drool-inducing...that is, the ones that aren't guilt-inducing because you've run a jillion miles that day :). I love your experimentation and the pictures of your handiwork. Very inspiring.
OMG! This post is amazing! The photo and recipe are awesome. It makes me want to have them now.
these look wonderful. but really really wonderful. i am a lamb fan and the pea mash combo would be delicious. i may need to do a version myownself.
holly - Unfortunately, running does not eliminate the guilt. Bleh.
lannae - :) Thanks for the compliments. It only took a month for me to get my act together, get inspired, and COOK something!
cef - I'd love to see your take!
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