Spicy Lamb Burgers With Tahini

This dish, inspired by the warm flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, is a breeze to put together. Hot pepper, spices, garlic and olive oil are blended into a pound of lamb before being formed into small, thin, quick-cooking patties. They’re then cooked quickly in a hot cast-iron skillet and served with a garlicky tahini sauce. Tuck it into a toasted pita, or go with a bun. Either way, it’ll be delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground lamb
• 0.5 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for assembly
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 serrano chile, finely chopped
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice (from 1 lemon)
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 cup plain yogurt (full-fat or low-fat)
• 0.25 cup thinly sliced green scallion tops
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill
• Small pitas, toasted
• Tomato slices
• Avocado slices
• Roasted red peppers, jarred or fresh

Steps

1. Make the burgers: Place the ground lamb on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large bowl. Add cilantro, paprika, cumin, salt, coriander, fennel, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, garlic and serrano.
2. Knead mixture until the spices are well incorporated. Wrap the meat and refrigerate for an hour or up to 48 hours.
3. With wet hands, form into 8 (2-ounce) balls, then flatten balls into thin patties. Refrigerate until ready to cook. (Patties can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month.)
4. Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce: Put lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl. Add salt, garlic and tahini, and stir to dissolve. Whisk in yogurt, and stir in scallions and dill.
5. Cook the burgers: Heat a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. When oil is wavy, cook 4 patties at a time, in batches, to keep from crowding the pan, for about 1½ to 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned. The thin patties will be cooked medium but will remain juicy. (Alternatively, cook over a hot grill for 3 minutes on each side.)
6. To serve, tuck each patty into a pita with a spoonful of tahini sauce, tomato, avocado, cilantro and roasted red pepper.