My Big Fat Greco Inspired Burger Recipes

MY BIG FAT GRECO INSPIRED BURGER

Steps:

• Tzatziki with feta:
• Seed and chop the cucumber. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill and feta. Refrigerate and chill for 1 hour.
• Grilled Eggplant:
• In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until thick and well blended. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds. Arrange in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish; coat well with dressing. Grill eggplant until tender, about 3 minutes each side, keep warm.
• Lamb burger:
• In a large bowl blend together lamb, mint, cumin, salt and pepper, to taste. Form 6 patties.
• Before grilling burgers, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack turning once, 4 minutes each side.
• Cut pitas horizontally and lightly toast over indirect heat.
• Assemble burgers as follows: pita bottom, lettuce, burger topped generously with tzatziki, a slice of grilled eggplant, and the top of the pita.

MY BIG FAT GREEK BURGERS

Steps:

• Click here to see how she does it.
• In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the feta cheese, dill and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine.
• Divide the turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Put 2 tablespoons of the spinach-feta mixture onto half of the patties. Top with remaining patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season the burgers on both sides with the salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat, or prepare the grill. Grill the patties until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
• To serve, place a burger on the bottom half of each bun, top with about 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce, then 2 or 3 cucumber slices and a lettuce leaf. Top with the other half of the bun and serve.

MY BIG FAT GREEK BURGERS

Steps:

• NOTE: I USE 50% GROUND BEEF WITH 50% GROUND LAMB, WHICH IS A BALANCED MELDING OF FLAVORS.
• TRADITIONAL PREPARATION METHOD: INTO a large bowl add the SEASONED GROUND MEAT ingredients without mixing; IN another small bowl beat one egg with 1 tablespoon flour; ADD egg/flour mixture to ground meat ingredients in large bowl; WHISK 1/4 cup milk and 1/8 cup ouzo or Pernod (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) in a small bowl and add 1/2 cup bread crumbs; ALLOW mixture to absorb; ADD to meat mixture; MIX well; CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• QUICK FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: INTO large food processor add 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/8 cup ouzo (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) and 1/2 cup bread crumbs; PROCESS; ADD the MAIN MEATBALL INGREDIENTS except for ground lamb and feta cheese; PROCESS; ADD ground lamb; PROCESS (Feta cheese may be added to mixture now and processed or folded into after); CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• SHAPE meat mixture into six patties.
• PLACE patties onto a baking sheet (do not use a broiler pan with grill since patties will stick to the grill and/or and be difficult to remove after broiling).
• PREHEAT oven to BROIL.
• BROIL the patties 2-3 minutes, TURN patties using a metal spatula (NOTE: YOU MAY ADD CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE OVER BURGERS NOW IF DESIRED); BROIL 2 minutes longer or until desired doneness is reached (patties will continue to cook after removing from oven); REMOVE pan from oven; COVER patties with foil.
• MAKE CUCUMBER-DILL SAUCE: Combine Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Sauce recipe ingredients in a small bowl (1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup finely diced cucumbers, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 1/2 teapoons dried dill, 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh mint or 1/4 teaspoon dried mint, 1/2 teaspoon finely minced onions, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest); CHILL before serving.
• WARM or toast buns if desired (For toasted steamed buns if desired, melt butter a large skillet over medium heat; PLACE place halved buns cut-side down; REDUCE heat and cover until buns are browned on bottom and heated through); SPREAD the CUCUMBER-DILL YOGURT SAUCE; ASSEMBLE burgers as desired with above FIXINGS.
• SERVE and say, "OPA"!