Lamb Sliders

We all know Americans LOVE their burgers.  We love them any which we we can get them.  We like them big, we like them small, we like them with beef, or chicken, or even vegetarian.  We love to dress them up or dress them down, depending on the occasion.  We can’t get enough of them.   Hamburgers are about as American as it comes.

Sliders are small, mini-burgers that are becoming just as popular and can be enjoyed just as creatively as their bigger siblings, the hamburgers.  Sliders were created by the American fast food restaurant, White Castle, back in the 1940’s.  At first, they were small burgers with cheese and grilled onions served on a small bun. Today, anything goes.  Today, any kind of burger or sandwich that is served on a small bun or a slider roll is considered a slider. The term “slider” was fist used as a nickname to describe these little mini-burgers by the U.S. Navy because they were so greasy and tended to slide all around.  The name stuck, and they have been known as sliders ever since.

When we went to the Denver restaurant Root Down to help celebrate our friends Janet & Bob’s 50th wedding anniversary A Golden Celebration a couple of weeks ago, one of my favorite menu items that were tried were the lamb sliders.  They have been on my mind ever since.  Well, I finally decided enough was enough, and it was time to make them.

Because I made lamb sliders, I chose to make the meal a bit more exotic, and made a Moroccan pumpkin and lentil stew as a side dish, then added a few olives and garlic French fries to the plate as well.  I served it with a smooth and fruity pinot noir to finish off the meal in style.  I topped my sliders with some of my pesto to make them perfect.  Gnocchi with Chicken, Vegetables and Pesto    pesto and lamb compliment each other very well.  These were very easy to make and very tasty to eat.

Lamb Sliders

1 lb ground lamb

4-6 slider buns

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP dried onion

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cumin

1-2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped fine

 

Mix everything together and incorporate all the ingredients together well.  Form the meat into small patties that will fit the buns.  Let them set in the refrigerator for at least an hour before cooking to allow the flavors to really come to life.

Once the patties are set and cooked, put them inside the buns and fix them to your likings, just like you would any other burger.  The only difference between these burgers and regular burgers is the size.  But don’t be fooled by their size.  These little sliders pack a very tasty and delicious punch with the same gusto as their bigger siblings.