Recipe information
Yield
4 servings, 2 small burgers each
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken or ground lamb
1 cup full-fat plain yogurt
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin (a palmful)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (half a palmful)
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika (half a palmful)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (a palmful; such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning)
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) for drizzling, plus about 3 tablespoons for dressing
1 English (seedless) cucumber, diced into bite-size pieces
1 red or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced into bite-size pieces
4 celery ribs with leafy greens intact, chopped
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 pound feta, crumbled
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
6 peperoncini (pickled hot, light green peppers), chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
Several drops of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Coarse salt
Pita bread, warmed and cut in half
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat a grill pan, large nonstick skillet, or outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
Step 2
In a large bowl combine the ground meat with the yogurt, parsley, garlic, spices, and seasonings. Form 8 thin 3-inch patties. Drizzle the patties with EVOO and cook for 3 minutes on each side in 2 batches. Hold the cooked patties on a plate under foil.
Step 3
In a large, shallow serving bowl combine the cucumber, bell pepper, celery, red onion, tomatoes, feta, olives, and peperoncini. Dress the salad with lemon juice, hot sauce, and salt. Toss, add about 3 tablespoons EVOO, and toss again. Taste to adjust seasonings. Top the salad with the patties and serve with pita bread.
