Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers

Provided by provided by EatingWell
Prep Time 1 Hour
Cook Time 1 Hour
Level Easy
Serves 6

Heavy on exotic spices, this decadent sandwich is a great way to
familiarize yourself with the joys of Turkish cooking. Lean turkey
blended with lamb lightens the mix. Stuff the patties into warm pita
bread or roll the mixture into meatballs and serve with the yogurt
sauce on the side as an hors d'oeuvre.

Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers

1/3 cup bulgur (see Ingredient Note)
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt, preferably Greek (see Ingredient
Note)
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion greens
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
2 cups diced tomato
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces ground lamb
4 ounces 93%-lean ground turkey
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cinnamon
6 whole-wheat pita breads, warmed


Combine bulgur and water in a small bowl; let stand until the water is absorbed and
the bulgur is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid. Meanwhile, heat
coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until they begin to
pop and are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a small bowl
to cool, then crush in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Combine 2 teaspoons of
the spice mixture with yogurt, scallion greens, 2 tablespoons parsley, mint,
oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Combine tomato, red onion and oil in
another small bowl. Preheat broiler (see Grilling Variation). Coat a broiler pan
with cooking spray. Place the reserved bulgur, the remaining spice mixture, the
remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Add lamb, turkey, yellow onion, egg, garlic, cayenne, salt, allspice and cinnamon.
Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 12 equal
balls, then form each into an oval patty about 1/2 inch thick. Place the patties on
the prepared broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until browned and an instant-read
thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total. Slice
open the warmed pita breads. Fill with 2 burgers, about 1/3 cup tomato mixture and 2
generous tablespoons yogurt sauce each.

Grilling Variation: To grill the lamb patties, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil
the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read
thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Ingredient Notes: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely
grinding or cracking wheat berries. Dont confuse bulgur with cracked
wheat, which is simply thatcracked wheat. Since the parboiling step
is skipped, cracked wheat must be cooked for up to an hour whereas
bulgur simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for
it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other
grains, or online at kalustyans.com, lebaneseproducts.com. Greek-style
yogurt is made by removing the whey from cultured milk. Removing the
whey gives it an extra thick and creamy texturemaking it the perfect
ingredient for a lower-fat dessert topping. You can strain regular
yogurt to make it thick like Greek-style yogurt. Line a sieve with
cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. (Alternatively, use a coffee
filter lined with filter paper.) Spoon in 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
and let it drain in the refrigerator until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 2
hours. Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it
with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a
hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is
helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.


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