Dr. Lecter and Clarice were wrong, it’s the lamb producers that are screaming for attention. The chart on the left depicts the yearly average per capita meat consumption in pounds in the US. The source of the chart (The Food Lab cookbook) doesn’t indicate the time period, but the cookbook was published in 2015, inferring recent statistics. One can barely see the lamb data!
So how do we get more consumers enjoying lamb? Rack of lamb? Too expensive. Butterflied leg of lamb? Too large. Seems to us that lamb has to be inexpensive, easy to prepare and delivered in a “package” every American loves: Burgers!
“Easy” would be to simply shape the ground lamb into patties, season with salt & pepper and grill. If you’ve been a reader of this blog, you know that Trish and I rarely practice “easy”. Retired, empty nesters like us have too much time for “easy”. Rather, we choose to seek out “better”. Hence, Trish’s recipe for better lamb burgers (posted below). Refusing to stop there, I added a recipe for a Red Pepper condiment (Quick Biber Salçasi, if you prefer the Turkish name) that I consider the ideal complement to Trish’s burgers.
The wine pairing for this winning combination is easy: almost any robust, full-bodied red wine will do. If you choose to make the Red Pepper paste with a hot chili pepper, such as Serrano, you might consider the “sweeter” reds like Zinfandel or Grenache. If you make the paste with milder peppers, Syrah, Malbec, Côtes du Rhone, Brunello or a new-world Cabernet Sauvignon will lend flavorful spices to the pairing.
Notwithstanding the above suggestions, we thought you might want to consider a red wine from Portugal. Specifically, we like this red blend – Rapariga da Quinta Reserva 2018 ($28 for the current vintage – 2019).
This deeply colored blend hails from the Alentejo region of Portugal, southeast of Lisbon, and is composed largely of Alicante Bouschet (a grape of Grenache parentage), bolstered by smaller amounts of Aragonez (Tempranillo) and Touriga Nacional (a principal grape used to make Port). The Rapariga, fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in old & new large, French oak barrels, is a study in contrasts. The nose, redolent of blueberries, reveals almost nothing else. In contrast, the blue/black fruits on the palate are striking, enlivened by bright acidity. And while the rich color of the wine signals “full bodied”, the Rapariga Reserva is lighter-styled and fresh, with medium body and little evidence of oak. This is a wine that demands food, and with a 30-minute decant prior to serving, it pairs superbly with the grilled fat and sweet spices of the burger.
The Rapariga Reserva is widely available: 48 Total Wine stores in the US carry the wine. Another Alentejo producer of Alicante Bouschet worth seeking is Esporão. Both wines reflect the serious winemaking underway in Alentejo – an evolving Portuguese region to watch.
Lamb Burgers and Wine Pairing
Ingredients
- For the Burgers
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 3 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots or red onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint (preferred) or parsley
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- For about 1 cup of Red Pepper Condiment
- 3 red bell peppers
- 2 fresh Anaheim red chile peppers for mild heat
- OR 1 fresh Serrano red chile pepper for more heat
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp. sugar (superfine preferred)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- For the Burgers
- Using your hands, mix together all of the ingredients until well distributed
- Shape the meat mixture into 3 or 4 patties
- Grill or smash & sear to desired doneness.
- For the Red Pepper Condiment
- Wash and scrape out the seeds of the bell peppers and chiles (use latex gloves when prepping a Serrano chile)
- Remove the inner membranes of the bell peppers and chiles
- Roughly chop the bell peppers and chiles and place in food processor or blender along with all of the other ingredients
- Process until the peppers are finely chopped and the mixture is soupy
- Pour the mixture into a non-stick pan or skillet and set over medium heat
- Cook slowly for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently, until well reduced (see photos in blog post) and the mixture is thick with nearly all the watery liquid evaporated
- Allow the mixture to cool to room temp before serving
- Refrigerate if made in advance
Mere says
So that’s what was for dinner last night !! Intrigued on the lamb burger, and the red pepper sauce. It sounds delicious and looks divine. Happy healthy new year and lots of good cooking and recipes to share.
Steven says
Thanks for commenting, Merle. And share we shall in 2023!
Thomas Lansen says
Mmmm….
Steven says
Thanks for commenting, Tom. All good health and prosperity to you and Tara in 2023!
Cindy Lowe Rynning (@GrapeExp_Cindy) says
I’m printing out the recipe and adding to the queue! Thanks, as always, Steven!
Steven says
Thanks for commenting, Cindy. Keep up the great work on your YouTube show “Crush On This”.