Minted Lamb Sliders

I had run into the blog of the Happy Sorceress earlier this month and decided to opt in for the mint blog party. After all, mint is a very summery herb and we are definitely experiencing summer here in Lafayette.

My party was small, just me and my neighbor, K, but the food was fantastic and the drink would have put anyone in a good mood. Here goes:

Minted Lamb Sliders with Mint and Cucumber Yogurt Topping

1 lb ground lamb
1 lemon worth of zest
¼ cup of mint, minced
4 scallions sliced thin, just the light portion
3 gloves of garlic, minced
1 egg white (to hold everything together)
Salt & pepper
Mini Hamburger buns

¾ cup plain yogurt, drained (or the Greek stuff if you happen to be fancier than me)
¼ cup mint, minced
1 clove of garlic
½ of an English cucumber, thinly sliced (seeds removed)
Juice of half a lemon
Salt & pepper

Combine lamb, zest, mint, scallions, garlic, egg white, and salt and pepper. Set aside in fridge for several hours to let flavors meld. Divide lamb mixture into miniature patties. Grill or sauté until just cooked through. Place on warmed buns.

Combine yogurt, mint, garlic, cucumber slices, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Once the sliders are cooked top the patties with a hearty amount of the sauce and serve.

Mint, Cucumber and Lemon Gin and Tonic

Macerate a few mint leaves in the bottom of a glass. Add two small sliced of lemon rind and a few thin slices of cucumber. Add 1 to 2 shots of gin (Hendricks works best for this) to the glass. Fill the rest of the glass with ice and tonic water.