Lambapalooza

I have invented the best lamb burger in the world.

I know that's a bold statement, but this was a bold burger. See what you think.

The ground lamb was from our local Marin Sun Farms, always a great start. The "bun" was a square cut from an herb slab loaf from Acme and split, also a plus. The cheese on top was a nice crumbly feta, tangy and a little salty.

But, I've done that before - even posted about it before - so where's the justification for my boast?

I added to the half pound of ground lamb a minced rasher of lamb bacon, about a teaspoon of fresh thyme and an equal amount of fresh oregano, plus freshly ground black pepper. Pan seared in olive oil, flipped and topped with the cheese to melt, then laid reverently on the grilled and lightly buttered bread, it was simply the very best lamb burger I have ever eaten.

It was still nicely pink inside when I took my first bite, and so juicy that it started to run down between my fingers. The heat of the pan released the rich taste of the lamb bacon to mingle with the herbs and lamb juices. The cheese had softened and worked its way into the holes in the bread, but it hadn't lost its tang. This was a lambgasm. I was glad I had made only one per person, as they were rich and I'd have been sorely tempted otherwise to beg for seconds.

So, I'm not just braggin' - I really have invented the World's Best Lamb Burger.

Lemony Cheesy Oniony Ricey

My Beloved did the grocery shopping this week and he always comes back with stuff I'd never think to ask for. Lamb burgers for dinner tonight! I should send him more often.

Alongside the lamb burgers, I needed a little something and I had a some Massa brown rice left over so I decided to doctor it up a bit.

The shallow tub of lemon quark in the fridge seemed promising, so I stirred about a tablespoonful into the warming rice, squeezed in half a Meyer lemon to augment the lemon flavor, and added a chopped green onion. Quark has a texture like fine-grained ricotta The cheese got all melty in the warm pan and the lemon flavor bloomed nicely with the mild onion. As an impromptu side dish for a dinner My Beloved chose, this was pretty darn good. I should send him more often.