Fig and Zinfandel–Glazed Kibbee Burgers on Fresh Pita Rolls

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

I love the flavors of MIddle Eastern cuisine, so I experimented at home until I found just the right spice blends. This burger is like the combination plate at my favorite Lebanese restaurant, except it’s all mixed together in one delicious, sloppy package.

Ingredients:

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat (this will be cooked and divided evenly between the patties and the tabouli)
1 1/2 cups water

For the Tzatziki

1 cup shredded cucumber
1 cup Greek style yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon fresh minced dill
½ teaspoon salt

For the Fig-Zinfandel Glaze

2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2/3 cup fig jam
1/2 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel

For the Tabouli

1 cup cooked bulgur (mentioned uncooked above)
1 ½ cups chopped parsley
¾ cups chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup Colavita extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

For the Patties

1 cup cooked bulgur (mentioned uncooked above)
1 1/2 pounds freshly ground lamb
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon sumac
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Pita Rolls

2 ½ pounds refrigerated pizza dough
2 tablespoons butter

6 wooden skewers

Instructions:

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to high.

Pour the water and the bulgur into a fireproof pot. Cover and place on the hot grill, stirring frequently. When the water begins to simmer, reduce heat and cook for 10-12 minutes more, stirring occasionally. When the bulgur is cooked, set it aside, uncovered, to cool.

Meanwhile, make the tzatziki. Place the shredded cucumber in the middle of a piece of cheesecloth or a clean dishtowel, and squeeze it to remove excess moisture. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber with the Greek style yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, dill, and salt. Set aside until ready to use.

Next, make the glaze by combining the spicy brown mustard, fig jam, and Sutter Home Zinfandel in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

In a medium bowl, combine half of the cooked bulgur (it should be about 1 cup), parsley, cucumber, tomato, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt. Set aside until ready to use.

In another medium bowl, combine the rest of the bulgur, ground lamb, onion, garlic, pine nuts, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, sumac, cumin, salt, and nutmeg. Form into 6 oblong patties, brush each side with glaze, and place on a hot grill. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until burgers test to medium doneness.

Place a fireproof skillet on the second rack of the grill or beside where the burgers are cooking. Divide the pizza dough into 6 equal portions and stretch them with your hands until they are big enough that, when folded in half, they will hold the patties (about 12 inches wide at their widest point, but in an oval shape rather than a circle).

Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in the skillet, and cook the first pita bun until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Place on a paper towel to cool while cooking remaining buns. Repeat with the remaining butter and pizza dough until you have 6 buns.

Place each burger on the edge of a bun (you are going to fold the bun like a taco), then top each burger with tabouli and tzatziki, fold bun over, pierce with a skewer to hold bun together, and serve immediately.