Chilli Lamb burgers

We have had this a couple of times recently; its really easy and just different enough to be worth pushing out to the world I think!

Chilli Lambburgers

1 lb Minced Lamb
Smallish Red Onion (golf ball?)
A Red Chilli and a Green Chilli or dried chilli flakes
Black peppercorns, salt.
Olive oil

· Cut the chillis lengthways and remove the seeds. Slice crossways as finely as you can.
· Peel and chop the onion into the smallest dice that you can manage

Unless you want the burgers blazing hot….if you do – omit this bit….
· Boil the kettle. Put the sliced chilli in a mug with a teaspoon of salt. Pour over the boiling water, add the chopped onion. Leave for 5 minutes. Drain.

· Grind as coarsely as possible about a level teaspoon of black peppercorns. (if not using fresh chillis – add about dried chilli flakes – a coffeespoon would be enough for me, though I do the wussy chilli soaking thing. Fresh chillis rather than dried will make the result prettier and taste better but they may not be available
· Mix the minced lamb with the pepper, chillis and onion
· Make into neat fat cakes, about 1” thick and 3” across
· Put them into the fridge to firm up for ½ hour (not essential but makes them easier to handle)
· Either – Brush with oil and grill 3 minutes each side then a further 2 minutes per side. Timing depends on how you like them. I prefer to …..
· Fry them in very hot oil, carefully turning several times. Easier to see when they are cooked!
· Or (3) cremate on a BBQ. They may have a tendency to break up. Be careful when turning them.

Serve with a yoghurt/mint/cucumber mix and / or a freshly made tomato sauce