Tagine Burger
This recipe crafts a flavorful lamb burger infused with traditional tagine spices like cinnamon and ginger. It's elevated by a unique fig topping featuring saffron and orange blossom water, offering a blend of sweet and savory North African-inspired flavors on a classic hamburger bun.
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing the lamb burger mixture.
- 1 Box Grater To finely grate the red onion for the burger patties.
- 1 Cast Iron Skillet or Grill Pan For cooking the lamb burgers to a perfect sear.
- 1 Small Saucepan To gently heat and combine ingredients for the fig topping.
- 1 Spatula or Turner For flipping burger patties.
Ingredients
Main
- For the Tagine Burger
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 small red onion grated & excess liquid drained off
- 1 large clove garlic crushed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3-4 Bakery-fresh Hamburger Buns
- 1 red onion sliced in rings
- For the Fig Topping
- 1/2 cup fig jam
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
Instructions
- Grate one small red onion, then firmly squeeze out and discard any excess liquid.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, drained grated red onion, crushed garlic, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. Gently mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Form the lamb mixture into 3-4 evenly sized patties.
- For the fig topping, combine fig jam, a pinch of saffron, and orange blossom water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring gently until warm and fragrant.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the lamb patties for 3-5 minutes per side, or until they reach your desired doneness.
- Lightly toast the hamburger buns, either in the skillet or under a broiler, until golden.
- Slice the remaining red onion into rings.
- Assemble the burgers by placing a lamb patty on the bottom half of each toasted bun.
- Spoon a generous amount of the warm fig topping over each lamb patty.
- Top with sliced red onion rings and the other half of the bun, then serve immediately.
Notes
1. Ensure the grated red onion is thoroughly drained of excess liquid before adding to the lamb. This prevents a watery mixture and ensures the patties hold their shape better. 2. Bloom the saffron for the fig topping: steep it in a tablespoon of warm water for a few minutes before adding to the jam. This enhances its color and aroma. 3. Avoid overmixing the lamb, as it can lead to tough burgers. Mix just until combined. 4. Toast the hamburger buns lightly, either on the grill pan after cooking the burgers or under a broiler, for added texture and to prevent sogginess from the topping.