Smoky Lamb Burgers With Mint-Chile Pickled Cucumbers Recipe
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Servings:
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 thai green chiles, halved
  • 1 shallot, sliced thinly
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
  • 2 mini seedless cucumbers, sliced thinly
  • handful of mint, torn roughly
  • 6 tablespoon butter
  • 2 shallots, chopped finely
  • 4 -5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoon ground black cardamom*
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
  • 2 1/2 teaspoon pimentón de la vera (smoked paprika)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 pound ground lamb
  • vegetable oil, for coating the grill
  • 4 buns, toasted
Directions
  1. In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, and sugar until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat. (I like to put the cucumbers in a wider, shallow container to increase the surface area as they are pickling.) Let sit at least 1 hour before serving, but they can also be refrigerated and will keep for a few days.
  2. In a medium-sized skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Swirl the pan as the foam subsides and continue to heat until butter starts to brown. Don’t let it burn! Immediately, throw in the shallots, garlic, and spices and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent sticking, until the shallots are translucent and cooked through. Remove and let cool briefly.
  3. Place the lamb in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the cooled shallot and spice mixture and mix thoroughly. Do not overmix or the meat will get tough. Form the mixture into 4 equal patties, keeping the center a bit thinner than the edges. You can also make this mixture up to 1 day ahead of time and the flavors will come together even more beautifully.
  4. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and coat with a thin layer of oil or grill on the outdoor grill. Cook for about 4 minutes per side to get to a medium-rare and longer for more well cooked burgers. Serve the burgers on a toasted bun topped with the pickled cucumbers and a few of the pickled shallots.