Mini Lamb Burgers with Pineapple Salsa

Mini Lamb Burgers with Pineapple Salsa

Makes 14. See comments after recipe for simplifications, etc.

3/4 t cumin seeds
1 t coriander seeds
1 t coarse salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 C Pineapple Salsa, plus more for serving (recipe follows)
1-1/4 lbs ground lamb (or I use minced chicken here in Japan, since lamb is scarce)
7 hamburger buns
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Fresh oregano, for garnish (optional)

1. Toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan often, until seeds are just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Let cool. Finely grind seeds in a spice grinder. Pour through a fine sieve into a small bowl; discard any coarse pieces. Stir in salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
2. Process salsa in a food processor until smooth. Using your hands, gently combine salsa, spice mixture, and lamb in a large bowl (do not overwork meat). Shape lamb mixture into 14 patties (about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick). Refrigerate patties, covered, until cold, about 1 hour (or overnight).
3. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut the centers out of top and bottom halves of buns.
4. Preheat grill to medium-high (if using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5" above grill for just 3 to 4 seconds). Brush grill and burgers with oil. Grill, flipping once, 3 minutes perside for medium-rare. Toast buns, cut sides down, on grill during the last minute of cooking, if desired. Serve burgers on buns. Top with salsa; garnish with fresh oregano, if desired.

Pineapple Salsa

makes about 2-1/2 Cups
Pasilla chiles, also called chiles negros, are dried chilaca chiles. Leftover salsa is delicious with pork.

2 pasilla chiles or ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored, and cut into 1/3" thick chunks
1/4 C packed dark-brown sugar
1/4 C cider vinegar
1 T yellow ballpark mustard
1 to 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1. Toast pasilla chiles in a dry small skillet over medium-high heat, turning often, until skins begin to blister, about 3 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add toasted chiles, the pineapple, sugar, vinegar, mustard, and chipotle chiles to saucepan. Cover; simmer until pineapple is translucent, about 15 minutes. Discard pasilla chiles. Refrigerate salsa until cold, about 1 hour, before serving. Salsa can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

From Martha Stewart Living June 2005

My comments: For all the burgers from this issue, I had to tweak them...a lot. I have no access to turkey or lamb and I'm not big into red meat, so I always use a combination of minced chicken, tofu and ground flax seed for the patties. To that mixture I add whatever seasonings they recommend (if I have access to them). They're burgers, so I take a lot of artistic license. All of them have turned out great. I wish I had a Foreman Grill (or any kind of grill), but I don't so I use a pan on the stove and some olive oil (I usually use olive oil as opposed to vegetable oil).