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Small Lamb Burgers With Onion Juice Marinade

A spicy mini burger with Eastern Mediterranean flavors! This regional classic is a delicious change from the over-sized American burgers so many of us are used to. So….try a Greek recipe for a change and serve it up with Mediterranean diet sides such as tzatziki or plain Greek yogurt and slices of ripe tomato!
Course brunch, dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean diet
Keyword Diane Kochilas, Greek burger, Greek lamb, Greek recipes, grill, Mediterranean grill, olive oil, onion juice marinade
PREP TIME 20 minutes
COOK TIME 15 minutes
SERVES 8 BURGERS

Ingredients

  • For the Onion Juice Marinade
  • 2 large white onions
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • For the burgers
  • 1 pound fatty ground chuck
  • ½ pound ground lamb
  • 1 large yellow onion grated or pureed in a food processor
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Oil for shaping the burgers
  • 8 pita rounds each cut into two half-circles

Instructions

  1. Peel and wash the onions then grate along the fine-holed side of a manual cheese grater. Alternatively, pulverize the onions in a food processor. Place the grated or pulverized onions in a fine mesh strainer or in a cheese cloth and press or squeeze to extract their juices. Two grated or pulverized white onions yield about a cup of juice. Mix the onion juice with the olive oil and a little salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and lamb, onion, cumin, paprika, cayenne, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil and knead well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
  3. Light the grill and lightly oil the grill rack.
  4. Rub the palms of your hands with a little oil (it helps keep the burgers from sticking on the grill). Shape the ground meat mixture into 8 equal-sized burgers. Place on the grill and cook, turning and brushing with the onion juice marinade, for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until medium. Remove and set aside, covered, to keep warm. Lightly grill the pita halves. Serve the burgers with the pita on a platter or on individual plates, and spoon remaining onion juice marinade over the cooked burgers for additional flavor.