I’m a huge fan of eating food from other countries. Whether while traveling, in an authentic restaurant, or cooking in my own kitchen, it always feels exciting and fun to me. These harissa spiced lamb burgers are the perfect vehicle for this addictive seasoning.
These are not your typical burgers and are great for mixing it up. Topped with fresh arugula, feta cheese and a little extra harissa, they’re seriously mouthwatering. You can also mix harissa into some good quality mayonnaise and use that as a spread.
Lamb makes such fab burgers and goes so well with so many flavours it was tricky to decide what to make. If you have never made homemade burgers before, don’t be put off - these Spicy Moroccan Lamb Burgers are super easy to make: simply put the lamb mince (ground lamb), spices, garlic, chilli etc. in a large bowl and mix together with your hands (lots of squidging basically!), then shape into 4 patties and grill or barbecue for 5 minutes each side, et voila.
Today’s dish is a no-brainer; the ultimate comfort food for the young and old alike.
For a good chunk of my life, I relied on frozen instant burger patties grabbed with much gusto and pride from the supermarket freezers (till I started reading what all could have gone into it!). But with this recipe, officially, I am done with that.
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Another tip I picked up is to keep the flavours of the burger simple but layer on more flavours with the sauce used. Here, it is the harissa flavoured yoghurt sauce which makes it very flavourful, very Moroccan.
A simple Moroccan spice mix was used to add a dash of heat to the patties. And to freshen up the whole sandwich and lend it the ultimate Meditteranean feel, fresh Romaine lettuce shreds and lemon soaked mint leaves.
Last week during a cold and dark rainy afternoon I decided to get adventurous and developed a Moroccan-inspired lamb burger. I basically added diced onion, fresh mint, and coriander, plus garlic, cumin and ground coriander with some panko and an egg.
Spring is always, to me, lamb season. I love the earthiness of the lamb and the added spices, which are rich in flavor and savory. Lamb patties are crisp, and they taste less gamey than the chop.
Somehow jelly to me is breakfast, and lamb is quite the opposite. However, the mint goes wonderfully with the lamb.
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I am kind of excited about this because I have to admit, lamb sort of scares me a bit. I know that is ridiculous, but I only grew up with beef and chicken. If you are not a fan of lamb swap beef or chicken, but if you can swing it, I would try the lamb.
Moroccan Lamb Burger Meal Prep / Hamburguesa Marroquí de Cordero
The Heart of the Recipe: Harissa Spice
I recently developed an obsession with harissa. This spice blend originated in Tunisia and is associated with Moroccan and Middle Eastern cuisine. It usually consists of smoked chiles, garlic, olive oil, cumin, caraway, coriander, mint, tomato and rose petals.
It’s definitely got some heat to it and is bursting with amazing flavors. You can find it in some grocery stores, or if you have a Middle Eastern market nearby they will definitely carry it. If you have trouble finding it, it’s really easy to make your own. And the best part is, it’s delicious on just about anything.
Choosing the Best Lamb
The outstanding flavor of our lamb is the ideal choice for carrying full bodied flavors and spices such as harissa (although it’s delicious with chicken and other red meats as well). The key aspect of a good burger is the quality of meat. A mistake most people make while attempting homemade burgers is to use readymade store-bought mince.
Instead, the best way to get juicy, succulent and healthy burgers is to choose a lean cut of meat at your local butcher and ask him to mince it for you.
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Our lamb is raised on the North Island of New Zealand, in the incredibly beautiful foothills of Mount Ruapehu. The lambs are born and live their lives freely roaming the lush green landscape. These animals are raised by the Maori people native to New Zealand, and have been bred for generations for extraordinary taste and quality.
They graze on verdant green grass rich with nutrients and are never given any type of antibiotics or growth hormones.
Why We Choose New Zealand Lamb
Lambs in New Zealand graze on some of the world’s most lush and nutrient rich pastures. The country enjoys a unique, subtropical climate that encourages animals and plants alike to flourish. New Zealand has some of the best conditions in the world for raising lamb, which might explain why their population outnumbers humans.
Cultural traditions in New Zealand make it the industry standard to raise meat humanely and naturally. New Zealand lamb is grass fed throughout its life, unlike American lamb which is often grain finished to encourage larger size and higher body fat percentage.
Spiced Lamb Patties and Couscous with Apricots
Couscous is the perfect side dish for lamb patties. It took about 25 minutes to prepare this wonderful dish. Easy to prepare on a weeknight, even with all the bustle of life around you.
Also, apricots?? These are new to me too, but I wasn’t scared of them at all. They are fruit, and I pretty much love all fruit, so these I was excited about, and I do believe that apricots are made just for chutney.
Actually, I don’t think I had the best apricots, but once cooked down they were delicious.
Recipes
Moroccan Lamb Burger Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl combine the lamb, onion, panko, egg, fresh mint, fresh coriander, garlic, cumin, ground coriander and salt.
- With a spoon or very clean hands, combine the mixture thoroughly and divide into three even patties.
- Spray the patties lightly with oil on both sides.
- Preheat a Le Creuset ridged grill pan or cast iron frying pan over high heat.
- Sear the lamb burgers one minute on each side.
- Then reduce the heat to moderately high and cook the lamb burgers for about five minutes on each side for medium doneness.
- (Alternatively cook the burgers on a grill, searing them for about a minute on each side and then moving them to moderately high heat on the grill and cook for about five minutes on each side as well.)
- Serve the lamb burgers with traditional buns, brioche, pita bread or on a lightly dressed salad of seasonal greens.
Harissa Flavored Yoghurt Sauce
Ingredients:
- Yogurt
- Harissa paste
- Lemon juice
- Salt
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients till smooth and without lumps.
Lamb Patties with Couscous and Apricots
Ingredients:
- Lamb
- Yogurt
- Garlic
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chicken broth
- Apricots
- Couscous
- Mint
Instructions:
- In a small bowl combine 4 tablespoons yogurt, 1 ½ tablespoons mint, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, apricots, salt, and ¼ teaspoon cumin. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Stir in the couscous, remove from the heat, and cover. Let it sit until all the liquid has been absorbed, timing according to packing direction.
- Meanwhile in a bowl combine the lamb, 1 tablespoon of yogurt, the garlic, coriander, and the remaining ¾ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Mix by hand making sure you do not overmix the mixture. Shape into 8 equal patties.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the patties and cook, turning once.
- Once browned on the outside, slightly pink on the inside remove and place on a cooling rack.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork. Mix the remaining oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the couscous and patties among 4 plates. Add a dollop of the minted yogurt on the side and garnish with the remaining mint.
Moroccan Lamb Patties
Ingredients:
- Lamb mince
- Moroccan spice mix
- Salt
- Romaine lettuce
- Mint leaves
- Burger bun
- Red onion
Instructions:
- In a bowl, mix the lamb mince with the Moroccan spice mix, season with salt and shape into thick patties.
- Grill the burgers on both sides till done.
- Lightly toast both sides of the bun, place shredded lettuce, red onion, add the burger patty and drizzle generously with the yoghurt sauce.
Apricot Chutney Recipe
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Red onion
- Apricots
- Red pepper
- Jalapeño
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey
- Cayenne pepper
- Cilantro
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to a medium size skillet. Once hot, add the red onion and cook about 2-3 minutes or until the onion is soft.
- Add the apricots, red pepper and jalapeño, cook about 3-5 minutes or until the apricots have broken down and softened.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the apple cider vinegar, honey, cayenne and pinch of salt and pepper.
- Simmer the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, but is still pourable, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Allow to cool and then transfer to a glass jar. Store in the fridge (I like to warm this before I put it over my burgers).
Pistachio Feta Pesto Recipe
Ingredients:
- Feta
- Olive oil
- Cilantro or mint
- Pistachios
- Crushed red pepper
- Pepper
Instructions:
- To make the pesto add the feta, olive oil, cilantro or mint, pistachios, crushed red pepper and a pinch of pepper to a bowl.
- Toss well and let sit for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to mend together.
Tips for Cooking Spiced Lamb Patties
- When cooking the spiced lamb patties, use a skillet that has high boards and cook over medium heat.
- The lamb contains a lot of fat which will be released while frying them.
- Mix until just combined and then form the meat into 4 equal size patties (or 8 smaller patties).
- Place on a plate and put in the fridge until ready to cook.
Serving Suggestions
Serve in burger buns on top of lettuce and tomato and with a good dollop of tzatziki on top.
While this dish is perfect as-is, you can also serve it with sides. You can serve anything with lamb patties that you would with burgers made from beef, chicken, or turkey.
To be honest one of these babies is a meal in itself, but if you are feeling in need of a few extra carbs, serve with a side of potato wedges, Mexican Spiced Sweet Potato Cubes or Parmentier Potatoes.
Oh, and then there is the final layer of flavor. Pistachio feta pesto. It’s so good. PS. DO NOT skip any of the elements of this burger.
Additional Tips
- Nutritional information is only an estimate.
- This recipe goes relatively fast once you start. My suggestion is to start with making the yogurt mint sauce before starting.
- Before you add the couscous, watch that the chicken stock does not evaporate too much when coming to a full boil.
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tags: #Moroccan
