That sounds great to me, Alexa. I like cinnamon with lamb.

Here's another one I make with ground lamb.

CURRIED LAMBBURGERS

Combine:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. curry powder
2 Tbs. minced onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 slices fresh bread, crumbled
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Add 1 pound lean ground lamb and mix thoroughly. Shape into 6 thin oval shaped patties and grill until done but not dry. Serve in pita bread pockets topped with chopped tomatoes and feta cheese.

Note: Fresh chopped cilantro may be substituted for the parsley for a different flavor. Also good topped with cucumber-yogurt sauce.

Alexa,

That dish was on the menu of a Lebanese restaurant I used to frequent. There, it was called kibbe (say KIB-bee) and came in three forms; raw, baked and on a skewer. I seem to recall that the kebob had a different name. I don't remember what it was. IIRC, the raw kibbe and baked kibbe included bulgur or pine nuts. I loved the raw kibbe, which is the Middle Eastern equivalent of steak tartare, another favorite of mine. I never made these dishes and don't have a T&T recipe. The link below sounds reliable. Raw kibbe, of course, must be make from strictly lean lamb. For that, I would select the meat, have it trimmed and ground to order.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Kibbe

Jim, if I had to eat only one foreign cuisine for the rest of my life, it would be Middle Eastern - Lebanese, Syrian, Turkish, etc. Around here, the ground lamb kabobs are called Kafta Kabobs and are made on flat skewers about 3/4" wide instead of round ones.

It's ironic that Linda from TN just checked in today after an absence because I've made her recipe for stuffed kibbe dozens of times. Here it is if you'd like to try it:

STUFFED KIBBEH

For the shells:
8 ounces bulgur (cracked wheat)
1 pound ground lamb
1 onion, coarsely chopped
salt & pepper

For the stuffing:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Tbs. Pine nuts
1 pound ground lamb
salt and pepper

Oil for deep frying

To make the shells, soak the cracked wheat for about 20 minutes in hot water to cover by at least one inch; then drain and squeeze dry. Mix the meat, onion, salt and pepper for the shells until creamy. (An electric mixer can be used.) Then add the cracked wheat in batches and continue until the mixture is soft enough to work like a dough. Knead well by hand.

For the stuffing, fry the onion in oil until soft; then add the pine nuts and fry until golden. Add the meat, salt and pepper and stir until the meat changes color.

Wet your hands. Take a small egg-sized portion of the shell mixture and roll it into a ball. Make a hole in the center with your finger and shape into a thin-walled pot with a pointed bottom by turning and pressing it into your palm. Place some stuffing in the hole and pinch the top of the pot together to completely seal it inside. Shape the top into a point. Repeat with the rest of the mixtures, wetting your hands frequently.

Heat the oil. Deep-fry 4 or 5 kibbeh at a time until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Serve hot. Makes 15 to 20 depending on what size you make the balls.

I follow the recipe exactly but instead of deep frying, I like to cook them outdoors on the grill, turning frequently.

About 4 years ago we used to buy at our Farmers Market a ground lamb bolognese sauce (was not traditional but that is what the chef called it) that was fantastic!We have not been able to get it for quite some time, so I kept googling and looking and finally found a Mario Batali recipe I really changed to try to copy the ground lamb sauce for pasta we all loved. Here is my adaptation.....

1 tbsp EVOO
1 lb ground lamb
2 thick slices of pancetta, diced
1 large carrot small dice
1 med onion, small dice
14 oz can tomatoes (I used fire roasted Muir Glen)
2 to 3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp or less of thyme
little bit of fennel
2 to 3 c chicken stock
1 c white wine
s and p
Sautee pancetta, onion and carrot in EVOO for about 5 or 6 min. Add in lamb and cook til there is no pink. Add in white wine and simmer 5 min. Add in tomatoes and tomatoe paste, thyme and fennel, simmer for a few minutes. Add 2 c chicken stock to start and adjust to your preference for soupy sauce or thicker meaty sauce. Season with salt and pepper. I simmered the sauce for an additional 20 min or even upto 30 min. Just keep an eye on the liquid
Serve with pasta and parm.

Chance had this for breakfast and dinner today and is taking it in a thermos for lunch!!

janet

I make lamb burgers with ground lamb. It's a wing it sort of recipe.
Add a little crushed garlic to the ground lamb and mix well. Shape into patties and grill. Place cooked patties on toasted Turkish bread (could sub focaccia) spread generously with hoummous. Top with a thin slice of feta cheese, sliced Roma tomatoes and fresh baby spinach leaves before placing the bread lid on.

My daughter who, as well as her husband, likes lamb, has the butcher at her supermarket trained to recognize her as the lady who will want some lamb ground up for burgers. It's not an item normally on display. You have to ask. Make yourself known to your butchers. They like to be helpful.

Jim

Thanks for the suggestions. Jim, the butchers at my local grocery know me by name and we have a great friendship. If I need something and it is humanly possible for them to accommodate what i am asking, they are more than happy to help. Fortunately, they offer freshly ground lamb in the butcher case, and I have always been pleased with the quality.

I actually made these last night with a small variation, I pan-broiled them instead of grilling them and they were very tasty. Served wiht a little tzatziki in a pita (no tomatoes, they were pitiful looking) made a great dinner.

Alexa