Eric Adjepong’s Yassa Lamb Burgers

Yassa Onion Jam
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Puree (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

Aioli
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Puree (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Burgers
1 pound ground lamb (see note)
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
4 hamburger buns, bulkie rolls, or potato rolls, split
Lettuce leaves
Thinly sliced tomato


ROASTED GARLIC PUREE
Makes ½ to ¾ cup

High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
6 heads garlic or 1 cup garlic cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 sprigs of rosemary and/or thyme

Make the yassa onion jam: In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium- high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft and golden brown, about 18 minutes.

Add the vinegar, roasted garlic puree, turmeric, Dijon, and coriander. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is well combined and becomes a mahogany color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the lemon juice, and salt. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Set aside and keep warm. (The jam can be made a day or two in advance and warmed before serving.)

Make the aioli: In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, roasted garlic puree, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (for toasting the buns; they can also be warmed in a skillet with a little butter).

Make the burgers: In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together the lamb, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; shape into 4 balls.

Heat a cast- iron skillet or grill pan over medium- high heat until very hot and smoking. Working in batches as necessary to avoid crowding, add 2 meat balls to the pan at a time. Use a spatula to smash them into patties 4 inches across and ¼ inch thick. Cook until the edges of the patties start to crisp up, about 4 minutes, then use the spatula to carefully flip the patties. Cook until hot and slightly pink in the center, another 5 minutes, or until they reach your desired degree of doneness. Transfer the burgers to a plate, cover them loosely with foil, and cook the remaining burgers.

Get ready to serve: While the burgers are cooking, arrange the opened hamburger buns on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Note: This recipe works great with ground beef too.

ROASTED GARLIC PUREE

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

If using garlic heads: Drizzle a 9-inch cast-iron pan or small baking dish generously with olive oil. Cut the top ½ inch from each of the heads, exposing the cloves inside. Place in the prepared baking dish, cut sides up, then drizzle each with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tuck in the rosemary and/or thyme around the garlic. Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast until the garlic smells fragrant, about 35 minutes. Uncover and roast until caramelized, 10 to 20 minutes more. Transfer the garlic to a plate to cool and reserve the oil in the pan.

When cool enough to handle, squeeze the heads to push out the soft roasted garlic into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, using some of the reserved garlic oil if needed to form a smooth puree.

If using garlic cloves: Place the cloves in a baking dish in an even layer and drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and stir to combine, then tuck in the sprigs of rosemary and/or thyme around the cloves. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake until the garlic is sizzling and just beginning to brown on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil, stir, and continue to roast until the garlic is golden and caramelized, 7 to 10 minutes more.

When cool enough to handle, remove the herbs, and use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, using some of the reserved garlic oil if needed to form a smooth puree.