Little hints of spring are popping up all around the DC area. The daffodils are about to make their debut, people are actually showing themselves outdoors and I got my first sunburn of the season.
No joke, I must have the skin tone similar to a Cullen this year due to my deep hibernation.
This change of season is welcome news in our household because it means one thing; grilling season is here! My husband prides himself on being a year round grill master, but all of the seasonal produce that begs to be cooked by fire makes us rely on the grill as our main kitchen appliance during the warmer months.
I love cookouts that involve cheap beer and creative grilled foods. That is how these lamb burgers came about. When you want something a little different than a hamburger or dog, opt for these delicious lamb burgers with a tangy tzatziki and fresh cucumber + tomato salad.
{ Ingredients }
FRESH TOMATO + CUCUMBER SALAD
½ red onion, small dice
½ cucumber, small dice
2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced
½ cup crumbled feta
Salt + pepper to taste
TZATZIKI
1 6oz container of plain, 0% Greek yogurt
¼ cup of fat free sour cream
½ hothouse cucumber, skin on + seeded
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 handful of fresh dill, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt + pepper to taste
BURGERS
1 lb. of ground lamb
1 tablespoon ground savory
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 cloves of garlic, grated
Salt + pepper to taste
Pitas
{ Process }
► Light your grill and prepare the salad + tzatziki.
► For the salad combine all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl, toss to combine and place in your fridge until it’s time to eat.
► To make the tzatziki, take a medium sized mixing bowl and add the Greek yogurt + sour cream, stir to combine. Grate the half of the cucumber you have remaining from the salad on top of a couple of paper towels, cheese cloth or fine mesh sieve-squeeze or press to remove all liquid. Add to the sour cream + yogurt mixture along with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Place in the fridge with the salad. –The liquid held by your cucumber would water down the tzatziki and we definitely don’t want that.
► In a large mixing bowl combine the lamb with the savory, cumin, cayenne, grated garlic and salt and pepper. Score the meat into four equal amounts and then form into patties.
► Once your grill is at a medium-high heat, rub the grill grates down with some paper towels dipped in olive oil and then grill the burgers for 8-10 minutes on each side until cooked till your liking.
► Cut the burgers in half and serve them in pitas or on top of a pita if you wish and dress with the tzatziki and tomato + cucumber salad.
► We ate our burgers with an arugula salad + lemon vinaigrette just because I had some leftover arugula on hand.
► Here’s to the grill!
{ Notes }
● This recipe is great for gas grills and the flavor only gets better when using a charcoal grill. I have also made these burgers on the stovetop and they were delicious.
● Ground Savory is a dried herb found the Mediterranean area and works great with lamb! It can be found in your grocery store.
● Use whatever cucumbers + tomatoes looked best on your grocery trip! No need to use heirloom.
● I like making the tzatziki light with fat free sour cream and yogurt but it is of course delicious with the full fat varieties.
meg from
a member of the 2013
