lamb burgers with tzatziki
May 18th, 2012
Usually, I hold off posting recipes here until I have the exact measurements and directions for making it, which means I never get around to sharing any recipes with you. Dinnertime is always crazy and often straight up chaos. My cooking style has become a few glugs rather than tablespoons, half a palm full rather than teaspoons, and whatever cup-like thing is in reach rather than a cup, because the actual measuring cups are in the sandbox. But I still want to share some recipes with you. If you keep in mind that my ingredient measurement are estimates and the directions are guidelines, then I think we’ll be okay.
Lamb and Feta Burgers with Tzatiki
for the burgers:
- 1 1/2 – 2 lb ground lamb (I like to make a lot to insure I can have some for lunch the next day)
- 4 or so oz feta
- 1/4 cup (handful) chopped cilantro or parsley (a little mint thrown in there is nice too)
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- zest of one lemon
- salt and pepper
for the tzatziki:
- about 6 inches of a cucumber, peeled
- 1 cup good yogurt
- 1 clove garlic (optional, my children think it’s too spicy, silly children)
- salt and pepper
directions for the burgers:
1. Put the lamb in a big bowl with the garlic, herbs, and lemon zest. Crumble the feta into the bowl as best you can, smallish is better but really if there are big chunks it doesn’t matter. Mix everything up with your hands. Salt and pepper the mixture liberally.
2. Shape the patties. I usually make them on the smaller size: 3 inches, I’d say. Obviously any size is going to work.
3. Fry or grill those suckers until they are done to your liking. If you end up frying them, use only a bit of oil in the pan because lamb gives off a lot of fat.
for the tzatziki:
1. Grate your cucumber into a bowl
2. Put all of it in your hands and working over the sink squeeze out the excess water–there is a lot. See unsqueezed, squeezed cucumber photo above.
3. Add your yogurt. As a side note, I really love this whole milk yogurt. We used to get the Stoneyfield yogurt, but then they very abruptly stopped making the cream on top kind and now their yogurt just tastes like gelatin to me. Obviously I’m picky and should probably make my own, but until I stop being lazy this Super Natural yogurt is totally delicious.
4. Add chopped garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. That’s it. I’m going to show you this picture because when it’s all mixed up it looks rather boring.
Tzatziki is delicious slathered all over the burgers. The kids use it as a dip. I try to get away with not even putting the damn ketchup on the table for the kids, but one of them usually remembers (the picky one). We don’t use buns, but you of course could. To round out the meal, I use the rest of the cucumber for a salad and then make some other vegetable. That night it was peas (because I was so freaking busy taking pictures), but sweet potato fries are perfect with this meal.
There you are. This is dinner for two adults, one first grader, one garbage gut of a 5 year old boy, and one very picky toddler. Adjust to the size (and size of appetite) of your family.
Funny – this was my co-op meal last week. I will be posting that on the food blog soon too. Love it.
it’s only 10am and my mouth is watering for this. MORE RECIPES FROM YOU PLEASE MEG! also, do you think it’d work with beef / would you recommend any ingredient changes if so? not sure i can get my (picky) husband to go for lamb quite yet.
maybe half and half?
YUMMM!
looks delish! i love lamb and tzatziki in any shape or form …and i hear ya about the stoneyfield… wtf?
Yay for Kalona Super Natural! I buy all my dairy from them…they’re only 20 minutes away from us. I go to one of their farms weekly to pick up milk and can tell you that they live up to their claims (at least on that farm, anyway). Your recipe looks amazing.
Ahhh…these look scrumptious! I will definitely add them on to the repertoire! (Also, vague directions are the best sort…leaves room for creativity! Well done.)
The perfect theme music for your cooking chaos should be the new Tom Waits’ album. Have you heard it? That’s a big OMG, his best. Good for sewing and ripping, or ripping and sewing, too.
Totally made my mouth water just looking at the pictures!!!! I WILL be making this in the near future ;) thanks for sharing
***Jennifer
Where do you get the yogurt!? We’ve been doing chobani greek yogurt since stoneyfield stopped making the cream on top!!
Mmmm, that looks delicious, and my children might even eat it! Has to be worth a try, right?
[…] Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki (Elsie Marley) ..I would call these meatballs, nevertheless still looks super-yummy (plus easy and child friendly! – my favie combination!) […]
I love how imprecise your recipe is. This is exactly the way I cook. At dinner, when I’m yelling out homework help from the stove and fending off requests for snacks while dinner cooks, it’s too crazy to be measuring much. And I’m wondering about venison done this way. We know a hunter who shares.
We cook the very same way in our house, one smidge, one pinch, and two sprinkles equals a very lovely meal. You’ve got to post more recipes- you make such great things!