Not Your Ordinary Tailgating Recipes

October 24, 2008 at 2:11 PM by Cafe Kim - Comments (0)

Photo from Epicurious.com

And speaking of football...Wow. Looks like some CafeMoms have fancy tailgates. I'm used to the good ol' hot dog and burger standbys, with maybe a brat thrown in for good measure. But for other moms, it's a different story. This thread has a bunch of gourmet tailgating suggestions—like grilled shrimp kebabs, brisket, even fried turkey!—that'll definitely liven up your next parking lot excursion. I'd thought I'd chime in here with an awesome lamb burger recipe I found this summer from Epicurious.com. It's particularly nice for fans of Indian food, because it's made with curry spices and served with a refreshing raita yogurt sauce on naan (Indian flatbread). It's easy to make but eating is a different story. Get ready for a big mess, but it's the tastiest mess you'll probably ever eat!

Lamb Burger Recipe from Epicurious.com

Raita:

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (preferably Greek-style)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

11/4 teaspoons finely grated lime peel

Coarse kosher salt

Lamb Burgers:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/4 cups chopped onion

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided

2 teaspoons Madras curry powder

1 3/4 pounds ground lamb

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons cracked black pepper, divided

6 small naans or pita breads

For raita:

Mix yogurt, mint, cilantro, and lime peel in small bowl. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Cover; chill until cold, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

For burgers:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in curry powder and stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Cool onion mixture to room temperature, at least 15 minutes. Place lamb in large bowl. Add onion mixture, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, cilantro, and 1 teaspoon cracked pepper. Blend mixture gently; shape into six 1/2-inch-thick patties. Refrigerate. At tailgate, cook burgers to desired doneness, about 4 minutes for medium-rare. Serve on naan. Top with raita and grilled veggies if desired.

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