The Three Little Lambs – Preparing an easy Easter feast at Home

Hot Cross Lamb Burgers served with sweet potato wedges and yogurt and mustard dip

Ingredients (makes 6 lamb burgers):

· A six pack packet of hot cross buns (most retail stores now stock them throughout the year, but they freeze well should you want to stock up over Easter for the scarcer months)

· 500g lamb mince (ask your butcher if you are unable to find it pre-packed. They are generally very excited and eager to assist).

· One egg (whole)

· A handful (about a 1/3 cup) of raw oats

· Salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried mixed herbs and chilli flakes (optional) to taste.

· 12 slices of cheese (choose your favourite strong flavoured cheese, we prefer mature cheddar)

· Onion marmalade (available at selected retail stores, but very easy to make).

· Rocket

Making your burgers

· Preheat the oven to 200°C.

· Add the mince to a mixing bowl.

· Add the egg and raw oats.

· Add salt, freshly ground black pepper, mixed herbs and chilli flakes to taste (we add about a teaspoon of each).

· Blend well (hands work best).

· Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, roll each into a ball with your hands, and squish down on a plate or chopping board.

· Once all 6 patties have been shaped, place them on a lightly-oiled baking tray.

· Pop into the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.

· [Tip: The cheese slices can be added on top of the patties during the last 5 minutes of baking if you prefer oozy melted cheese, or add to the warm patties after you’ve removed them from the oven if you prefer the cheese looking slightly neater].

Assembly

· Slice the hot cross buns through the middle

· Add a spread of butter (optional)

· Add a rocket leaf or two, cooked lamb burger patty, cheese and top with onion marmalade.

· Stand back and admire your masterpiece.

Making your own onion marmalade with left-over red wine (…what’s that?)

(Note: This recipe is made with ½ cup red wine and should be enough for one round of hot cross lamb burgers. But if you have more wine to use, just multiply the other ingredients accordingly. This recipe is that simple, and the marmalade keeps very well in the fridge.)

Ingredients

· 1 large red onion

· 1 Tbsp butter

· 2 Tbsp brown sugar

· 1/3 cup soy sauce

· 1/2 cup red wine

Directions

· Slice onion in half length-wise and then thinly slice.

· Add butter to medium-sized pan and heat over medium heat.

· When butter has melted, add chopped onions. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until they are mostly browned.

· Sprinkle brown sugar over onions and stir until sugar dissolves (this takes a minute or two).

· Add soy sauce and red wine to pan and stir.

· Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until liquid has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes (note: Remember to take off the lid!).

· Taste and season with salt & pepper if necessary.

Since 2013 the “hot-cross-bun-burger” took pubs across the world by storm, boosted by a social media war with chefs trying to showcase and better the “perfect combination for an Easter feast”… Since our first whiff of sweet and spicy cinnamon bread merged with meaty aromas, the Three Little Lambs have been tangled up in our own little in-house experiments: Creating the perfect, no-fuss, hot cross bun burger.

The winner by a long-shot (not only because the flavours are delicious, but because the winning recipe turned out to be so simple and budget-friendly), is the Hot Cross Lamb Burger. The flavourful South African lamb mince is perfectly matched with the sweetness of the bun. Adding some mature cheese (note: it goes equally well with mature cheddar, Roquefort or Brie) and onion marmalade further compliments the flavours and aromas of our favourite meat. Add some roast sweet potato wedges and a yogurt mustard dip, and you have a feast that will impress both fussy and adventurous eaters alike.