Lamb burgers and pasta salad with grilled feta

Ingredients:

Burgers

• 350 g of minced lamb
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 2 tsp)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
• 1 small red onion, cut into 4 thick slices
• 2 whole grain burger buns, cut in half horizontally
• 2 Boston lettuce leaves
• 1/3 cup store-bought tzatziki sauce

Pasta salad

• 170 g dry cavatappi pasta
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
• 1 block of feta cheese weighing 110 g.
• 2 green onions, roots trimmed
• 1 small eggplant (ends trimmed), sliced ​​lengthwise into 1cm thick slices (about 170g)
• 1 small red bell pepper, top and bottom trimmed off, cut into 4 strips
• 1 small zucchini (ends trimmed), halved lengthwise (about 100g)
• 1/3 cup store-bought Greek salad dressing
• 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Cutlets:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the ground lamb, garlic, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix well with your hands and form into two 10 cm (4 in) patties. Lightly season the patties with salt and pepper. Wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap and place in a cooler or store in the refrigerator.
2. Pasta salad:
   
   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to cool. Dry and pack in a lidded container large enough to hold the salad greens. Place in a cooler or store in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat a small grill over medium heat and brush the grates with olive oil. Brush the feta, green onions, eggplant, bell pepper, and zucchini with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Place the feta and vegetables on the grill. Grill the feta until grill marks appear and it's slightly softened, turning once, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
4. Grill the vegetables, turning once, until charred in spots and cooked through—2 minutes for the green onions and 8-10 minutes for the eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a cutting board. Roughly chop the feta and vegetables and add to the pasta container. Drizzle with Greek salad dressing and sprinkle with torn basil leaves. Toss and let sit to allow the flavors to meld while you grill the patties.
5. Brush the grill again with oil and add the patties and onions. Cook until the patties are browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until grill marks appear on the other side, 4-5 minutes for medium-rare. If you prefer well-done patties, cook for about 6 minutes per side. Cook the onions until charred in spots and softened, about 3 minutes per side. Toast the cut sides of the buns for 1 minute.
6. To serve, spread tzatziki sauce on the cut sides of the buns. Add some onion and a lettuce leaf. Top with the burgers and bun tops. Toss the pasta salad again and serve with the burgers.

7. Grilling

   
   This recipe is suitable for a small portable grill with a diameter of 12 inches or larger. If you're not planning a long picnic, a portable gas grill is better, as you won't have to worry about the coals cooling down..
   
   If you're grilling with charcoal, prepare the coals as you would with a full-size grill, lining them up in the center to light (or using a chimney starter). Most small grills have a mark inside indicating the maximum amount of coals to use (approximately half the capacity). Allow the coals to cool completely before discarding them. If you need to leave before the coals have cooled, transfer them to a fireproof container and soak them in water until completely cool, then discard.