Beef and Eggplant Burger with Tomato Mint Salsa

Mint and eggplant are only a few of the things that grow in abundance in Southern gardens.Looking for creative new uses of the garden ingredients is always a challenge.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground chuck
2 teaspoons salt
1 eggplant, coarse grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for brushing grill rack
6 slices of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 inch thick
6 good-quality hamburger buns, split
Fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill for medium heat cooking. To prepare burgers combine ground beef, salt, eggplant, garlic and spices (cinnamon, cumin, allspice) until thoroughly incorporated, but not overly compacted. Form meat into six 1/2-3/4 inch thick patties sized to fit buns. Prepare salsa by combining chopped tomatoes with onions, parsley, mint, jalapeno and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to assemble burgers. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack and grill 4-5 minutes on each side to medium (internal temperature of 160 degrees) turning only once. During the last minute of grilling top each patty with 1 slice of the cheese. To assemble burgers start by lightly toasting buns, cut side down, on the grill. Spread mayonnaise on each toasted slice. On each bun bottom place a few of the mint leaves, a patty and the salsa. Add bun tops and serve.