Peppered Lamb Burgers with "Hot Tomato" Jam
Juicy lamb burgers seasoned with a five-peppercorn blend and served with a homemade spicy-sweet tomato jam. The burgers are enhanced with Merlot and sesame oil, then topped with fresh lettuce and served on toasted buns.
Ingredients
- •4 cups ripe tomatoes
- •⅓ cup sugar
- •3 tablespoons fresh ginger
- •2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- •1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- •3 tablespoons fresh basil
- •1 teaspoon Salt
- •1⅓ pounds ground lamb
- •2 tablespoons five-peppercorn blend
- •1 clove garlic
- •2 tablespoons sesame oil
- •¼ cup Merlot
- •1 teaspoon Salt
- •2 tablespoons Olive oil
- •4 pieces hamburger buns
- •4 pieces red leaf lettuce
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
10 min
- 2.
Taste and add the remaining pepper sauce to taste. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency, and then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Stir the basil into the cooled mixture and season to taste with salt. Set aside.
15 min
- 3.
2. To make the jam, combine the tomatoes, sugar, ginger, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper sauce in a flame-proof nonreactive saucepan. Place the pan on the grill rack and bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally and moving on and off the heat as necessary, until the mixture is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
30 min
- 4.
Move the pan to the coolest part of the rack and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.
15 min
- 5.
3. To make the patties, combine the lamb, peppercorn blend, garlic, sesame oil, and Merlot in a large bowl and season with salt. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the buns.
10 min
- 6.
4. Brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.
8 min
- 7.
5. To assemble the burgers, spread the cut sides of the buns with the tomato jam. On each bun bottom, place a lettuce leaf and a patty. Add the bun tops and serve.
5 min