Lamb Burgers with Caramelized Shallots and Feta Sauce

I have a new cookbook, compliments to my mom who gave it to my for my birthday this year.  And what perfect timing as the CSA boxes start flowing in and I'm up to my ears in locally grown, fresh vegetables!  I have found some fabulous recipes in this book and can't wait to share them with you.

I started with the lamb burgers - I know, not a vegetable, but I promise those recipes are coming.  I didn't start eating lamb until a couple years ago.  I never had it growing up because my parents weren't fans.  It's not the easiest of meats for me to find in the stores either - especially ground.  But, recently I've noticed my local store has started to carry ground lamb.  I've had my eye on it for months - and now I had the perfect excuse to purchase some.

These burgers were so simple.  Now, the recipe in the book is just for the burgers with caramelized shallots.  I wanted to add a little oomph so I made a feta sauce to pour over the top.  Holy goodness.  Flavor explosion!  Your taste buds will be happy, that's for sure.  You can surely substitute the ground lamb for ground beef, pork or turkey as well.  No ketchup and mustard needed here.

Feta Sauce

I served the burgers with a parmessan roasted potato and kohlrabi (from the farm) medley.  Divine and simple as simple can get.  Just thinly slice the potatoes and kohlrabi, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper followed by the parmessan.  Roast at 375 for about 40 minutes.  And you're done! 

Perfect meal in minutes!  Enjoy these!

Lamb Burgers with Caramelized Shallots and Feta Sauce
Burger recipe adapted from Simply Organic Cookbook, By Jesse Ziff Cool
Feta Sauce recipe adapted from NYTimes.com
Photos by A Toast to Taste

For the Burgers:
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 red onion, grated
1 clove garlice, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz shallots, sliced
4 whole wheat buns

For the Feta Sauce:
3 heaping Tbsps crumbled feta cheese
1 heaping Tbsp green olives
2 Tbsp fresh dill
1/4 cup olive oil

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring occassionally, for about 7-8 minutes, or until soft and golden brown.  Remove to a bowl.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine lamb, onion, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Form into 4 burgers.  You can either cook these in a skillet or grill them - we grilled them over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side. 

While burgers are cooking, make the feta sauce.  In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a steel blade, add feta cheese, green olives, and dill.  Pulse to combine.  With processor on, slowly pour in olive oil until combined.  Remove to bowl.

Place burgers on the buns and top with feta sauce and shallots.  Enjoy!