Celebrating goat cheese sounds like a no-brainer to us. The firmness that softens with heat but doesn’t quite melt, the slightly tart flavor—not to mention the health benefits. But, something like cheese made with milk that comes from a goat can sound strange or repulsive to a kid, and convincing them that it’s perfectly normal and good to eat is no easy task! We’ve found that by referring to this dish as a “cheeseburger” is still accurate and doesn’t weird out picky eaters. If they comment about its taste being different from what they’re used to, go ahead and tell them you’re celebrating National Goat Cheese Month during August. Chances are, they will like goat cheese better than what they’d call “normal” cheeses once they give it a chance, so let us know how the kids like this delectable recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Directions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onions in the oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Gently knead together the softened onions, lamb, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture into 6 parts and roll into balls, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Mix together the goat cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, basil, and oregano until well-combined; cover and chill for 5 minutes.
- Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
- Working with one portion of meat at a time, make an indentation in the center of the ball with your thumb. Fill the indentation with a heaping tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture. Gently pull and form the meat patty around the cheese filling, making a burger-shaped patty. Repeat with each ball of the lamb mixture.
- Grill the patties on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center and well done, about 8 minutes per side.
