👨‍🍳 Cooking with Chris

Ingredients

• 1 large white or yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon
• 2 Persian cucumbers
• 4 handfuls of arugula, for serving
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup brown lentils
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp dried mint
• 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, undrained
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 4 brioche buns

Do Some Prep

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Salt generously and add 1/2 cup brown lentils. Cook till tender but not falling apart, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and dransfer to a large bowl.
2. Finely chope 1 large white onion. Smash and peel 3 garlic cloves.
3. Crush 1 tablespoon coriander seeds.
4. Using a peeler, peel strips of zest from lemon. Thinly slice the strips lengthwise, then slice the stripes crosswise to finley mince them.

Make the Patties

1. In a medium skillet, heat a couple of glugs of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook, stirring occassionally, until softened and just beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Finely grate the 3 garlic cloves into the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened and fragrant but not browned, 1 minute. Add the crushed coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, and a couple pinches of red pepper flakes.
3. Add about 1 tablespoon of dried min, crumbling it finely with your fingers as you go. Saute for 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the lentils.
4. Open 1 can chickpeas and pour 1/4 cup of the liquid into the lentils. Drain the rest of the liquid and measure out 1/2 cup of the chikpeas (no need to rinse - the starchy liquid is working in our favor here to help beind the burger). Add the chickpeas to the bowl with the lentils.
5. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and about half of the minched lemon zest. Mash the mixture with a potato masher until the lentils and chickpeas are lightly smashed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Add 5 tablespoons flour and stir to incorporate. Squeeze a small handful of the mixture in your hands - it should hold together in a smooshed mass. If it crumbles, add another tablespoon of flour. Crumble 4 ounces feta into the bowl and fold to combine.
7. Form the mixture into four (4 inch wide) pattiies. Chill on a small baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, or until ready to cook.

Make the Very Special Sauce

1. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and the remaining chopped lemon zest. With your fingers, finley crumble in the remaining 1 tablespoon dried mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prep the Burger Accompaniments

1. Split 4 brioche buns in half. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add a small glug of solive oil in the pan (in batches if neccessary and replenishing the oil as you go) until golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Thinly slice 2 Persian cucumbers lengthwise into planks.

Cook the Burgers and Build ‘Em

1. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat. Add the burgers (in batches as necessary) and cook, undisturbed, until golden and crisp on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with any remaining burgers, adding more oil between batches.
2. Build your burgers on the buns, each wtih some of the very special sauce, some sliced cucumbers, and a pile of arugula. Squeeze some lemon juice over the arugula. Top and serve.