Former CIA dining room sous chef Brandon Ingenito crafts this Greek twist on a burger at his Arlington food truck, Brandon’s Little Truck.
Makes 5 burgers
Make the spice blend for the burgers:
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
In a bowl, combine the spices until fully incorporated. Sprinkle desired amount onto the burgers before grilling.
Make the patties:
2½ pounds freshly ground lamb (80/20 fat ratio)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon and 1½ teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint
Spice blend, as needed (recipe above)
In a bowl, combine all ingredients until they are fully incorporated.
Form into 5 8 ounce patties and grill to medium-rare.
Make the roasted-garlic aioli:
1 cup mayonnaise
6 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Combine the garlic and olive oil in a sauté pan and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the garlic and olive oil to a food processor and puree until smooth. Place the garlic puree in a bowl and whisk in the other ingredients until the aioli is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the fennel-and-spinach salad:
½ bulb fennel, shaved
4 ounces spinach leaves
1 ounce red wine vinegar
3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
Pinch each of salt, black pepper, and dried oregano
In a medium bowl, toss the spinach with the other ingredients.
Assemble the burgers:
5 La Brea Bakery torta rolls
5 ounces crumbled feta
After grilling the burgers, lightly toast the buns and spread them with the roasted-garlic aioli. Place some spinach-and-fennel salad on the bottom bun, place the lamb burger on top, then sprinkle 1 ounce of feta over the patty. Top with the other half of the bun and serve.
