Goat Cheese-Stuffed Lamb Burgers with Yogurt Cucumber Sauce

By AzWench

Ingredients

• For the burgers:
• 1-1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, or 2 teaspoons dried mint
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Greek)
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea) or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound goat cheese
• For serving:
• 4 pita breads
• 4 rinsed romaine lettuce leaves
• 4 paper-thin slices red onion (optional)
• 1 medium-size cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium-size ripe tomato, thinly sliced
• Yogurt Cucumber Sauce:
• 1 medium-size cucumber
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, or 1 teaspoon dried mint
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Place the ground lamb, chopped onion, garlic, mint, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Wet your hands with cold water and divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Working quickly and with a light touch, pat each portion into a thick patty with a 2-ounce round of goat cheese in the center. (Make sure cheese is completely covered with meat.) Place the patties on a plate lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate, covered, until ready to grill.

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

Grill the lamb burgers until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side (about 170 degrees on an instant-read meat thermometer). Remove the burgers and cover to keep warm.

Place the pita breads on the grill, and lowering the temperature and working in batches, if necessary, grill until toasted, about 1 minute per side.

Cut a slit in each pita. Place a lettuce leaf inside, followed by a burger, an onion slice, if using, some cucumber and tomato slices, and a generous dollop of yogurt sauce. Serve at once.

Yogurt Cucumber Sauce:

Peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a melon baller or spoon. Coarsely grate the cucumber.

Place the garlic and salt in a mixing bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Stir in the grated cucumber, yogurt, olive oil, and mint. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, if necessary, and pepper to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups