Lamburgers

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup rice simmered until very tender in 2/3 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup minced onions sautéed and lightly browned in 2 Tbs butter
• 1 egg
• 1 clove of garlic, puréed (optional)
• 1 pound (2 cups) lean ground lamb
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• ground rosemary or thyme
• Clarified butter or olive oil, for sautéing

Directions

Purée the cooked rice, onions, egg, and optional garlic in the food processor or blender. Scrape into a bowl and blend with the ground lamb, adding a teaspoon of salt, several grinds of pepper, and a good pinch of rosemary or thyme. Form into patties and arrange on wax paper -- they will be rather soft.

(The patties may be prepared several hours or a day in advance; cover and refrigerate.)

Film a 10-inch no-stick frying pan with butter or oil and set over moderately high heat. When hot, scoop in the patties with a pancake turner and sauté a minute or so on each side -- watch that they do not brown too much. They are done to medium rare when just springy rather than squashy to the touch of your finger. Remove to hot plates or a hot platter.

Makes 4 large patties 3½ inches across and 1¼ inches thick, or 6 smaller patties.

Optional sauce

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup dry white French vermouth
* 2/3 cup fresh tomato sauce


Directions

Pour excess fat out of the pan, and pour in the wine and tomato sauce, stirring with a wooden spoon for the few minutes it takes the sauce to boil up and thicken. Spoon the sauce over the patties and serve.