Most people reach for beef when it comes to burgers, but there are plenty of reasons to swap that for some ground lamb instead. It has a more robust flavor than beef that really works well with burgers or grilled recipes. Here I paired the lamb with another springtime ingredient: leeks. The natural sweetness of slightly caramelized leeks makes a nice, simple twist on the classic beef burger. Ground lamb is the cheapest way to get the nutritional benefits of grass-fed lamb, which include being a fabulous source of protein, having plenty of good-for-us omega-3 fatty acids and being a great source of conjugated linoleum acid (CLA), which is another significant anti-inflammatory fatty acid. So … go, team lamb!
Ingredients
For the Burgers
- 1 cup (45 g) leeks, washed and chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) coconut or avocado oil, divided
- 1 lb (454 g) ground lamb
- ½ tbsp (6 g) garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
For the Cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) coconut cream
- 1 tbsp (5 g) lemon zest
How to Make It
- Add the chopped leeks and half of the coconut oil to a pan and cook over low-medium heat until the leeks are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the leeks to a bowl and chill them in the refrigerator. To a second bowl, add the ground lamb, garlic powder and salt. Once the leeks are no longer hot to the touch, add them to the bowl with the meat and use your hands to gently combine the mixture. Divide into 4 evenly-sized patties.
- Add the remaining oil to a skillet. Over medium heat, add the patties and cook each side until browned, about 5 minutes per side, making sure the lamb is cooked all the way through. Rest the burgers while you make the lemon cream.
- In a bowl, stir together the coconut cream and lemon zest. Use to top the cooked burgers just before serving.