After I made this salad, I had plenty of bulgur, mint, and cilantro leftover, and so thought I would use them to make Meat and Bulgur Patties.
Bulgur is traditionally used in meat patties in many Mediterranean countries; it adds a nice texture and acts like bread or breadcrumbs in soaking up juices and keeping ground meats moist.
Lamb yields very flavorful patties but ground turkey or beef will be delicious as well.
Meat and Bulgur Patties Recipe
YIELD: 6 PATTIES
PREP TIME: 20 MIN
COOK TIME: 10 MIN
Ingredients:
- ½ cup bulgur
- 1 pound ground beef or other meat
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 small sweet onion, minced
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons canola or olive oil, for pan-frying
Directions:
Place the bulgur in a bowl and pour enough boiling water over it to cover it. Let it sit for 20 minutes until it soaks up the water and swells up. Drain excess water.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bulgur with the rest of the ingredients. Use your hands to gently knead the mixture. With wet hands, shape the mixture into six (3.5- to 4-inch) patties.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the patties until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Serve immediately.
