Balkan Burgers

Photo: flickr user WordRidden

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground veal or lamb

1/2 medium onion grated or minced

3 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup beef stock or water

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 juicy ripe tomato finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped pickled peppers

4 crusty rolls

Preparation

Combine the beef, pork, veal, onion, dill, coriander, salt, pepper, cumin, baking soda, and beef stock in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Wet your hands in cold water. Form 4 burgers as described above and refrigerate on a plate wrapped with plastic wrap until grilling. Place the chopped vegetables in bowls with spoons.

Preheat the grill to high. Grill the burgers until cooked through and golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes per side, turning with a spatula. Serve the burgers on rolls topped with spoonfuls of onion, tomato, and pickled pepper.

NOTES : These flavorful patties are inspired by cevapcici (pronounced "che-VAP-chee-chee), the Balkan version of a hambuger. What makes them so extraordinarily flavorful is the combination of ground beef, pork, and veal. The baking powder helps lighten the burgers.