This might not be a very "foodie" picture... in fact, it barely shows the meal. But this spontaneous shot, taken this evening during our dinner outside, captures the reason for my posting: my son loved it. He's not usually a "hamburger" kid. He'll dutifully make an attempt at them, but rarely finishes. Tonight's burger was a fantastic exception.
The burgers were adapted from Parents magazine, August 2012. I'll share the recipe as I made it, but note that Garam Masala can be a blend of several things- mine is cumin, cinnamon, coriander.
1 lb. ground chevon (or lamb)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. garlic (I used powder- fresh would be better)
dash of sea salt
black pepper
Mix well and form 4 patties. Grill!
We topped these off with lettuce, ketchup with the same seasonings added in for extra kick, and put it all on toasted rolls.
A chat about chevon- because lots of people may say, "what's that?" or, alternately, "ewwww..." Chevon is goat meat. My family raises grass-fed meat goats. I was a vegetarian for several years, so the meat I feel "best" about eating is meat from animals that I know were raised humanely and are valued far beyond the styrofoam-wrapped mystery in the grocery store. I know that they are fed abundantly good food... they eat better quality food, ounce for ounce, than I ever will. The kid group is currently grazing on a specialty blend of forage called "summer feast," known for it's high nutrient density. While they are gorging themselves on leafy greens, I am struggling to get a single thing out of our hail-destroyed garden. But eventually, for the kids who will go on to be processed for meat, this better nutrition will result in a better quality meat. And these burgers were good... my 6-year-old food critic says so.
I will never be 100% ok with eating meat, probably, but when I do eat meat from our own animals, I can trust the process and the product, and that feels right- especially when I am feeding my growing sons.
