Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey brought this ground lamb dish to The Times in 1981. “We have always found it odd that lamb has never achieved the universal appeal in this country that it enjoys in countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey and those in the Middle East,” Mr. Claiborne wrote. The dish was created by Joseph (Seppi) Renggli, a chef at The Four Seasons Restaurant in Manhattan. It is a burger of sorts, flavored with cumin and paprika, enriched with pine nuts and cooked over charcoal or under the broiler.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground lean lamb
  • 6 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • Salt, if desired
  • ½ teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
  • cup ice water
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

      1644 calories; 173 grams fat; 81 grams saturated fat; 68 grams monounsaturated fat; 15 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 174 milligrams cholesterol; 78 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Two to four servings

Preparation

  1. Combine the lamb, pine nuts, curry powder, coriander, salt to taste and paprika in a mixing bowl.
  2. Start blending, gradually adding the ice water. Take care not to overwork the mixture or it will become pastelike and toughen when cooked.
  3. Divide the mixture into four portions of equal weight. Shape each portion into a five-inch-long, egg-shaped patty.
  4. Place the patties on a plate. Cover and let chill for two hours before cooking. This will bring out the flavor and set the shape.
  5. Preheat the broiler to high.
  6. Place the patties under the broiler. Cook five minutes on one side for rare. Turn and cook five minutes on the other side. Cook longer on each side if more well-done meat is desired. Serve with chutney.
  • If you prefer, you may saute the patties in butter to the desired degree of doneness.

Dining and Cooking