Lamb Sliders with Tzatziki

In APPETIZERS/COCKTAILS, Main Dishes, Recipes by Frances Largeman Roth

Makes 12 sliders

Lamb tends to be polarizing – you either love it or hate it. We love it. I find that because it’s so naturally flavorful, you really don’t need to do much to it. I don’t have a full-size grill right now, and these sliders make me miss it more than I can say, but a grill pan still produces really excellent results.

For the tzatziki:

  • 1 large CUCUMBER, peeled, seeded and finely diced (11⁄2 cups)
  • ¾ cup fat-free PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
  • 1 tablespoon fresh LEMON JUICE
  • ⅛ teaspoon SALT
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground WHITE PEPPER
  • 1 large clove GARLIC, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf PARSLEY leaves

For the lamb sliders:

  • COOKING SPRAY, for the pan
  • 1 pound (450g) ground LAMB
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground CUMIN
  • ⅛ teaspoon dried OREGANO
  • ¼ teaspoon ground
  • WHITE PEPPER
  • ¼ teaspoon SALT
  • 1 SHALLOT, minced
  • 12 small BUNS, about 2 inches in diameter, split and toasted

Preparation:

  1. Combine all the tzatziki ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Make the lamb sliders: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high and coat with cooking spray. Combine the lamb, cumin, oregano, white pepper, salt, and shallot in a large bowl. With clean hands, form the meat into 2-inch (5cm) patties and place on a large plate or platter. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to make an indentation.
  3. Set a clean plate or platter nearby for the cooked sliders. Place the sliders on the hot grill and cook for 2 minutes per side (the meat should reach an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C). Transfer the cooked sliders to the clean plate and continue cooking the remaining sliders.
  4. Place the cooked sliders on the buns and serve each with a heaping tablespoon of the tzatziki.
  • CALORIES 250
  • Fat 12g (Sat 3.9g, Mono 3.6g, Poly 0.7g)
  • Protein 13g
  • Carbohydrates 22g
  • Fiber 2g
  • Cholesterol 28mg
  • Iron 1mg
  • Sodium 277mg
  • Potassium 130mg
  • Calcium 21mg