drooling now.  thanks.  lunchtime may have to come early, but sadly there will be no lamb involved. :(

Ha ha, Jamie, I was about to call you and mention these burgers..

But…but…LAMBIES!

We have little tradition around these parts called the Hi-Spot burger, half lamb and half beef.  Lot’s of Greeks around these parts so we would use good sour feta cheese.

Lamb is really hard to find (and expensive when available) in this part of the south—it’s basically pig country—even though the uplands are prime sheep country. The people farming up there are small-scale, faced scepticism from the locals (fear of predators) but they now have llamas as their sheep minders.

I’m veggie, but I’ve made lamb meatballs (koftes) for other people with soaked, torn bread as a binder, some cumin and ground coriander for seasoning, and served in pita with tsatziki on the side.

You can mix cheese crumbles right into the burgers instead of putting them on top, too. I do that with blue cheese crumbles in beef burgers, but there’s no reason it wouldn’t work with your recipe.

Dang, that sounds delicious. Sadly, I can afford neither lamb nor goat cheese at present.

It can also be made with lamb cheese and goat. Not quite as tasty. And you have to use Gogurt.

This is so getting made when I do my shopping again.

Oh my god this looks sooo goood…that tilapia pasta I have in the fridge suddenly seems unappetizing.

I read this as tilapia paste at first. I was like, yeah, seems unappetizing to me, too.

A teaspoon of cayenne in a pound of meat? That might be a tad zippy for those with a delicate palate.

Have the lambs stopped screaming Jesse?

Gulp. “Yep.”

Goat cheese is the one food on the planet that is inedible to me, and I’m a big fan of cheese in general, including most of the stinky ones.  There just something about goat cheese’s unique pungence that doesn’t sit well with my taste buds.  If I get it in my mouth I have to spit it out, immediately.  True story:  I was at the home of a very wealthy Phoenix business man for a political fundraiser, introducing myself to a very prominent member of Congress.  One of the catering staff came by with a tray of lovely looking little cheese pastries.  We both took one and I popped mine into my mouth while she was talking.  One second later, I put my hand up in an “excuse me” motion and spit the contents into my hand (I didn’t have a napkin).  Mortified, I made my apologies and slinked off to dispose of the offending morsel.

Sounds tasty, but most certainly double plus unkosher!

A bunch of people ostensibly fighting oppression at some level - casually gushing about something that was not just plainly a product of oppression but also obtained from imprisonment, murder and horiffic cruelty, not to mention the ultimate and deliberate violation of the bodily integrity of another sentient creature…

Whoa whoa whoa whoa…“Southeast Michigan”? As a fellow Buckeye fan, Jesse, I’ve gotta say that the primary benefit to living there would have to be that you’re close enough to Toledo to not have to spend any money (or any more than is absolutely necessary) in that accursed state. Remember the apocrypha of Woody running out of gas?

I’m (mostly) kidding of course - though I honestly (and I know it’s stupid and creepy) reproach myself every time I buy Bell’s Two Hearted. I just can’t help myself; it’s the best beer I’ve ever tasted.

Also: I sure hope GVNP’s joking, because otherwise that’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever read.

I second FearItself’s suggestion about mixing the cheese in.  It is cheesier and creamier and the only way to make a cheeseburger, the Joy of Cooking says so.

If truth equals stupidest thing, then yes, I was joking.

Wait, huh? I’m totally willing to cut GVNP a break for being a self-righteous douche because I can see where s/he’s coming from even though I don’t agree with it, but “If lying is equal to the truth then yes, I am lying” is the most rhetorically assinine rejoinder since “because YOUR MOM.”

Jesse—we used to get these lamb sausages from the local farmer’s market. They were made with garlic and parmesan. We’d remove the casings and make moussaka. mmmmmmnom.

I sort of think lamb is like cilantro. I didn’t like either the first time I had them, because they have such strong (pungent) tastes. But once the taste is no longer a surprise, I’ve learned to enjoy it for what it is.

So good.  Swapped in garlic for the rosemary, but super delicious.  Not too spicy either, even with all the cayenne.  The rich lamb and yogurt balance it nicely.

Here’s another lamb burger recipe:
Greek lamb burgers with spinach and red onion salad

⅓ cup fresh mint, chopped
2 tsp paprika
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 ⅓ lbs ground lamb
4 hamburger buns or small ciabatta rolls, halved crosswise
1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves
1 ⅓ cups feta cheese, crumbled
4 slices red onion, (¼” thick)
1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar

Mix first 4 ingredients and 1 ½ tablespoons oil in medium bowl; mix in lamb. Shape into four ¾-inch-thick patties. Cook patties in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes per side for medium.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Broil buns until golden, about 2 minutes. Top each bun bottom with burger. Toss spinach, feta, onion, vinegar, and 1½ tablespoons oil in bowl. Place salad atop burgers. Cover with bun tops, pressing firmly to compact.

I also have a Moroccan lamb burger recipe with a weird beet/orange relish, but it’s very complicated.

Dammit, I want to grill now.

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa…“Southeast Michigan”? As a fellow Buckeye fan, Jesse, I’ve gotta say that the primary benefit to living there would have to be that you’re close enough to Toledo to not have to spend any money (or any more than is absolutely necessary) in that accursed state. Remember the apocrypha of Woody running out of gas? “

You do realize that a very significant (and growing) minority of us hate U of M more than a bunch of dilettantes from Ohio ever could?

I thought you might want to know this recipe makes excellent meatballs, too! I made them for my lunch this week—bento is a hobby of mine, and meatballs are more bento-friendly than burgers. You don’t have to change any of the ingredients, just form them into meatballs slightly smaller than a golf ball, and bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Makes about 25-30 meatballs. I made smaller balls of goat cheese: Pop one of each in your mouth together!