Prosciutto Wrapped Lamb Burgers


    So, right about now everyone's starting to think about firing up that grill, right?  Well, this little twist on a regular burger would be great for a barbecue!  Pop it into a nice, crusty Italian roll....delicious!!  Now, it's still been a little chilly here, so I cooked my burgers in a pan on top of the stove, but you can bet these will be finding their way onto our grill as the weather warms up!  I like to serve these with a salad of fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and basil with some olive oil, salt and pepper.  And, to make them extra yummy, I drizzle them with some balsamic glaze!



Prosciutto Wrapped Lamb Burgers             (serves 4)
(recipe very slightly adapted from "Giada's Kitchen" by Giada de Laurentiis)

1/2 cup plain, dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tblsp. whole milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3/4 tsp. each, salt and black pepper

1 pound ground lamb
4 large slices prosciutto, sliced med. thin
1/4 cup olive oil

Place the first eight ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.


Add the ground lamb and mix gently, with your fingers, until it's incorporated.

Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form into 1" thick burgers.  Place one burger in the center of each piece of prosciutto and wrap it around the burger.


Place a large, heavy pan over medium heat.  Add the olive oil and heat for about 2 minutes.  (Or you can heat up your grill to medium.)
Place the burgers in the pan, prosciutto-covered side down, and cook until the prosciutto is golden, 6-8 minutes.  Turn and finish cooking, 6-8 minutes more.

Serve these in a nice, crusty Italian roll or on their own with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a fresh tomato and cucumber salad.  These have a really rich and delicious taste....a great departure from the usual beef burger.....the perfect thing to start off the grilling season!




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