Spiced Hamburgers

Is there any dish that is more American than the Hamburger?    Unfortunately, the basic burger can get rather monotonous.    To fight this boredom, I do various things to season burgers.    Here are two recipes that show the basic approach.    The first was adapted from the filling of an Armenian stuffed meatball recipe.    While this comes out nice fried in a pan, the flavors are more fully developed when the burgers are grilled.    The second recipe is a gingered hamburger recipe.    Like the first recipe, you will get better results if you grill them.

Armenian-style Hamburgers

Mix all of the ingredients thouroughly.    The spices must get mixed through the meat. Form into a ball and refrigerate for several hours.    This will allow the flavors to mix throughout the meat.    Form into hamburger patties and grill.

Notes

1:   Toast the pine nuts by baking on a pie plate at 400°F until they are golden
      brown.    Stir frequently to prevent burning.

2:   Fresh mint leaves are a must here.    Chop them as finely as you can.    I have
      used both peppermint and spearmint for this.    They give different flavors, but
      both are good.

Variations

1:   Ground lamb will make this taste more Armenian.

Gingered Burgers

Combine all these ingredients.   Let this sit for 1 - 24 hours in the refrigerator so the flavors can mix.   Form into patties.   Grill or fry.   Serve with mustard.

Notes

Dried powdered ginger can be used instead of ginger root.    1 - 2 teaspoons should be enough.    I don't know how crystallized ginger (ginger root soaked in sugar syrup and dried) would work.    I would try that in the same amount as the ginger root.