Inside Out Lamb Cheeseburgers (NY Times Recipe)

By contessawannabe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, in chunks
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 About 1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, in 4 pieces.

Preparation

Step 1

1. Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill. Or, on a stove top, heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes.

2. Put meat and some salt and pepper in a food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse until coarsely ground: finer than chopped, but not much. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If desired, cook a teaspoon of meat in a pan before tasting.) Divide meat into 4 sections and shape each one around a piece of cheese, enclosing it fully.

3. Cook over moderately hot fire: you will be able to hold your hand 3 or 4 inches over rack for a few seconds. Grill burgers about 4 minutes a side for medium-rare, and until cheese begins to melt. (Timing on stove top is the same.)

4. Serve on buns, toast or hard rolls, garnished as you like.