brioche

Ingredients:

1 c mango salsa (see recipe section)

1 t ground cumin

1 t ground coriander

1 t kosher salt

0.5 T white pepper, or to taste

0.5 t dried oregano

1.5 lb ground lamb

0 brioche or english muffin bread slices (enough to get 16 two inch discs)

0 fresh oregano as garnish (optional)

Directions

Put 3/4 cup of the salsa into a blender or mini-food processor and blend until smooth. Using your hands, gently combine 1/2 cup of the salsa, spices and lamb in a large bowl. Take care not to overwork the meat. Shape the meat mixture into 16 patties about 2 1/4 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate the patties, covered, about 1 hour. Using a 2 inch cookie cutter or a similarly sized shot glass cut the brioche or English muffin bread slices into 16 discs. Save the remnants for another use. Grill the patties over medium high heat, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare (if using a charcoal grill, you will know the coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for just 3 or 4 seconds). Toast both sides of the brioche discs until lightly browned. Serve the mini-burgers, open-faced on top of the brioche discs, topped with a small dollop of the remaining salsa and garnish with fresh oregano (optional).

Notes:

Are burgers really worth a whole week of SippitySup's time?

I mean, I know you love a good burger. They really are an iconic food. Which was my thesis when I announced a week devoted to burgers. If you missed my nostalgic tribute to the American style hamburger click here.

In the original post I made the argument that the sight of a burger sizzling on the grill was so very emblematic of the good old USA.

But in truth a classic American burger is nothing more than a seasoned meat patty. And seasoned meat patties appear in some form or another in the diet of nearly all the world's cultures.

Even the idea of cooking the meat outdoors is a "borrowed" method. There is some evidence that what has morphed into the "Back Yard Bar-B-Que" got its start a very long tome ago in Mongolia.

And on an international level, the choice of meat may vary. So might the seasonings. But the simple process of grinding, mixing, compressing and searing the juicy flavor into certain meats, herbs and spices has become universally beloved.