Recipe: Spiced Lamb And Scallion Patties
I came up with this dish for a very special picnic lunch I was invited to at Consider Bardwell farm in Vermont. The other attendees were serious food and wine people so I knew I could go for the gusto with the seasoning. I served the lamb patties cold with crisp bibb lettuce, sliced radishes, fresh mint and cilantro and a side of cool and tangy cucumber-yogurt sauce. But my preference would be to grill them just before serving so all the fragrance of the lamb and the spices were at their peak. The purpose of adding olive oil into the patties (beyond great flavor) is to add a little fat to the lean lamb so the patties are juicier when cooked.
Spiced Lamb And Scallion Patties
Serves 4
1 pound of lean ground lamb (mine came from Dandelion Hill Farm in the Berkshires)
½ cup scallions, cut into ½ inch lengths
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg, whisked|
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, preferably a full-flavored fruity one like the Greek or California olive oils
2 Tablespoons of minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon lightly toasted coriander seeds, ground
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground sumac
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
For serving:
1 head of red or grill bibb lettuce, leaves pulled apart and washed/dried
4-6 red radishes, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh cilantro
Just combine all of the ingredients until well blended but don’t overwork the mixture. Using your hands is probably the most efficient way to get this accomplished.
Let the mixture sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before cooking to let the flavors meld together.
Build your fire or light your grill. Brush the patties lightly with more olive oil and grill until just a little pink in the center.
Serve with the bibb lettuce, radishes and herbs. I wrap each patty into a lettuce cup with a little yogurt sauce, a couple of slices of radish and a couple of whole leaves of the herbs.
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