Recipes: Burgers from beef tartare, lamb, pork and shrimp

Pork-Fennel Burger

Makes 8 patties.

This is a burger made of meat ground at home. Fennel is a bulb-like plant with celery-like stems, found with produce; the seeds are sold with spices.

• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into large chunks

• 3 to 4 garlic cloves

• 21/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, with some of the fat, cut into 1-in. cubes

• 1 tbsp. fennel seeds

• 1 tsp. caraway seeds, optional

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. pepper, or more to taste

• Peeled orange slices, chopped olives, chopped parsley, chopped roasted red pepper and fennel slices, to garnish, optional

Directions

If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire.

Put fennel and garlic into a food processor and pulse until just chopped; remove to a large bowl. Put pork fat in processor and grind until just chopped; add to bowl.

Working in batches, process meat with fennel seeds and caraway seeds, if using, until meat is just chopped (be careful not to overprocess). Add to bowl and mix well, adding salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 8 patties.

To broil or grill, cook about 5 minutes on each side, turning once after 4 or 5 minutes and again as necessary, 8 to 10 minutes total. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. When browned, turn. Total cooking time is about 10 minutes. (They can remain ever-so-slightly pink in the center.)

Garnish with peeled orange slices, chopped olives, chopped parsley, chopped roasted red pepper and fennel slices, to taste.

Nutrition information per burger:

Calories310Fat19 gSodium370 mgSaturated fat7 g

Carbohydrates3 gCalcium39 mg

Protein29 gCholesterol94 mgDietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 4 medium-fat meat.

Beef Tartare Burger Makes 4 burgers.

A burger made of fatty sirloin or chuck ground at home.

• 11/2 lb. fatty sirloin or chuck, cut into 1-in. chunks

• 1 shallot

• 1 medium garlic clove

• 1 tbsp. capers

• 2 anchovy fillets, optional

• 1/2 c. chopped parsley

•1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, or more to taste

• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Chopped medium-cooked egg, capers, whole anchovies, diced sweet white onion, chopped parsley and peeled lemon slices, to garnish, optional

Directions

If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire.

Put beef, shallot, garlic, capers and anchovy, if using, into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground -- finer than chopped, but not much. Put it into a bowl with parsley, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Mix gently, then taste and adjust seasoning. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.

To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.

Garnish with chopped medium-cooked egg, capers, whole anchovies, diced sweet white onion, chopped parsley and peeled lemon slices.

Nutrition information per burger:

Calories340Fat22 gSodium172 mgSaturated fat9 g

Carbohydrates2 gCalcium40 mg

Protein31 gCholesterol97 mgDietary fiber0 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 4 1/2 medium-fat meat.

Curry-Spiced Lamb Burgers Makes 4 burgers.

A burger made of lamb shoulder ground at home.

• 11/2 lb. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into chunks

• 1 medium (or 1/2 large) onion, peeled and cut into chunks

• 1 fresh chile, preferably jalapeño, seeded and minced

• 1 tsp. ground coriander

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Diced mango, green and red pepper, red onion and green onion; and shredded carrot and lettuce, to garnish, optional

Directions

If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire.

Put lamb and onion into a food processor (in batches if your machine is small) and pulse until coarsely ground. Put in a bowl with chile, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix, handling the meat as little as possible, until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.

To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.

Garnish with diced mango, green and red pepper, red and green onion, and with shredded carrot and lettuce.

Nutrition information per burger:

Calories370Fat26 gSodium87 mgSaturated fat11 g

Carbohydrates3 gCalcium42 mg

Protein29 gCholesterol117 mgDietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 4 medium-fat meat, 1 fat.

Shu-Mai-Style Burgers Makes 8 burgers.

A burger made of ground pork shoulder and shrimp.

• 1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled

• 2 medium garlic cloves

• 11/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, with the fat, cut into 1-in. cubes

• 2 tsp. soy sauce

•1/4 c. chopped green onion plus more for garnish

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro plus more for garnish

• 1 small fresh chile, seeded and minced

• 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger root

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Shredded cabbage and pickled pepper, to garnish, optional

Directions

If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire.

Put shrimp and garlic in a food processor and pulse until just chopped; remove to a large bowl. Working in batches, grind pork fat until just chopped (be careful not to overprocess). Add to bowl. Then grind meat until just chopped, again being careful not to overprocess; add to bowl.

Mix shrimp, pork fat and meat with the soy sauce, green onion, cilantro, chile and ginger; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shape into 8 patties.

To broil or grill, cook about 4 minutes, then turn and cook for a total of 8 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add the patties; cook undisturbed, for about 4 minutes, then turn and cook for a total of 8 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through.

Garnish with green onion, cilantro, cabbage and pickled pepper, to taste.

Nutrition information per burger:

Calories205Fat13 gSodium145 mgSaturated fat5 g

Carbohydrates2 gCalcium20 mg

Protein19 gCholesterol85 mg

Dietary fiber0 g Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 1/2 medium-fat meat.