About the Recipe
Lamb and plums pair wonderfully together, particularly when the plums form the basis of a delicious Italian agrodolce. The contrast of sweet and sour takes this burger to new heights of comfort food, and, with Californian plums, you can enjoy this all year round.
Ingredients
Burger
800grams lamb mince
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 shallot, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 table sppons chopped fresh coriander or parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Plum Agrodolce
3 fresh plums, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, fibely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons capers
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
To make the burgers, place the ground meat in a large bowl and massage through the other ingredients with hands. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight, to allow flavours to develop.
Just before cooking the burgers, in a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over low-medium heat and cook the shallot until soft. Add the vinegar, Shiraz and sugar and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 8-10 minutes. Add capers and plums and cook until just softening, but still holding their shape. Set aside, or refrigerate to use chilled.
Bring burgers to room temperature. Preheat barbecue or grill pan.
Cook the burgers over a medium to high heat for 6-7 minutes each side or until cooked as desired.
Grill cut sides of ciabatta and spread with goat cheese, top with the cucumber and lettuce. Place burger on top and spoon over the hot or cold relish.
To serve
Burger rolls or Ciabatta
2-3 tablespoons soft goat cheese or Chevre
Sliced English or Lebanese cucumber
Lettuce