Spicy Lamb Burgers

Seattle friends, I have a very important announcement to make: I recently made my very first trip to Woodinville Wine Country just outside the city! It only took me long enough, but I finally did it!

If you're not familiar, it's really quite self-explanatory: in Woodinville there is a literally a whole "country" of wine. We're talking over 90 wineries all within a few miles of each other. Can you imagine anything better?

While I mostly prefer a cold beer during these warm summer months, wine was definitely my first love. Something about a good glass of jammy Cab or, as of late, a crisp, dry rose on a hot day with a briny oyster - you can't beat it! So when I decided to partake in a whole afternoon of wine day drinking, I was pretty stoked.

Other than having the chance to sip delicious wines, one after another, one of my favorite parts of the tour was getting to talk with the people behind the scenes who had real knowledge and love for wine. And, without fail, every winery we popped in to, the people pouring our wines would talk about what foods would pair well with each tasting.

One of the best things about food is pairing it with beer or wine. When it comes to food and wine pairings, I can’t help but think how perfect these spicy lamb burgers are for a nice, bold red wine.

These spicy lamb burgers are not only delicious but super fun to make for a relaxed weekend meal. Of course they are simple and quick to throw together yet have a new and exciting flavor profile. Upon first bite, you will swear you are eating at a neighborhood bistro! Packed with warm spices, spicy yet cool yogurt sauce and creamy, decadent goat cheese and crisp arugula, all you need is a glass of jammy cab and you're good to go!

Makes two fat burgers!

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chopped mint
2 tablespoons greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayo
1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce (Sambal)
2 oz goat cheese crumbles
1 cup arugula
2 brioche buns

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine ground lamb with cumin, coriander, oregano, mint and salt using your hands - be careful not to over mix! Form into two patties and refrigerate for about 30 minutes until you're ready to grill.

Combine mayo, greek yogurt and chili sauce in a small ramekin. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Cook burgers about 5 minutes a side. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes. While burgers are resting, toast buns on grill for about a minute. Spread spicy yogurt mixture on both sides of toasted buns and place a handful of arugula on the bottom half of the bun. Top burgers with goat cheese and place bed of arugula. Sandwich together and enjoy!

Spicy Lamb Burgers