Middle Eastern Style Hamburger Hash

Hamburger, the cheap meat that has fed the masses for decades. It’s inexpensive, easy to find and quite forgiving. I’ll admit, outside of a crazy good burger, there are not many times I utilize the stuff. Not just because of the bad rap it gets as E.coli infested pink slime…mmm, pink slime *drools*. You can very easily grind or food process your own high-quality blend of cuts of your choosing. There are also many quality options in the supermarkets as well, like grass fed. But, there are certainly times when I crave ground beef and some dishes just aren’t the same without it. I created this recipe as a simple way to enjoy a simple meat. It’s quick and satisfying, inspired by some of the flavors of the Middle East and Mediterranean. Think warm earthy spices, citrus and yogurt. I jokingly refer to it as ethnic hamburger helper because, well it is. Just without all the crap they put in that box. It tastes better as well.

What you’ll need

Approximately 40 min total time

Lg frying pan

1 lb ground beef (I prefer grass fed sirloin)

2 T oil

1 carrot diced

½ med onion diced

½ green bell pepper diced

1 med potato cubed

3 cloves of garlic minced

2 T tomato paste

1 C chickpeas aka garbanzo beans

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp peppercorns

1 clove

1 tsp oregano

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp smoked paprika

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp salt plus a pinch

2 lemons, juiced

¼ C cucumber diced

6 oz plain Greek yogurt

1 C basmati rice

Make your rice by adding 2 cups of water and bringing to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat.

In a small bowl combine the yogurt, cucumber and juice of 1 lemon along with a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Remember that mortar and pestle I keep suggesting you own? Get it out. You can also use a dedicated coffee grinder for the task, but it’s way less cool. Grind up the cumin seeds, coriander, peppercorns and clove. Add the oregano, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg and salt.

Heat 1 T oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the carrot and potato until slightly browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside in a paper towel lined bowl.

Add the second T of oil to the pan and brown the hamburger, 6-10 minutes. Next add the garlic, onion and bell pepper and continue cooking until soft, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and mix well.  Add the juice of the second lemon and stir. Mix back in the potatoes and carrot along with the chickpeas and cook until heated, 3 min. Serve on top of the rice and place a large dollop of the yogurt sauce on top of the meat. Eat up.