Middle-Eastern-Style Burgers with Pomegranate Molasses - Easy

Getting real close to barbeque season here in NJ.  It would have been here already, if not for heavy rain like every other day.  So until it stays nice long enough to grill and enjoy the outsides, I have to make due with my trusty grill pan.

The big secret for perfect burgers?  Getting the pan hot enough to sear on those beautiful and tasty  carcinogenic grill marks, yet not  over- or under-cook the meat.  This burger recipe taught me one version of that secret:  thin burgers cooked for what seems like mere seconds.  I haven't yet got the hang of grilling thick burgers that don't moo or turn into hockey pucks, but as soon as I get around to trying out those other secrets, I'll be sure to share them with you, Dear Reader.

 But let's get back to the thin burgers.  When I say to grill 'em 90 seconds a side for medium, I really, really mean it.  Use a timer so that when if you are distracted you won't wind up with charcoal.

Pretty close to round, anyways.

I used ground chicken here, which tends to be very soft and almost impossible to shape perfectly round without mushing up when transferring to the grill pan.  So what I did was to shape the burgers into flat ovals, then slide the spatula under from the shorter end.  As the burgers inevitably squished up, they became pretty much rounds!  Woo-hoo!

Serve with your favorite burger sides.  Hiding behind my burger is a crazy-easy-if-you-use-a-mandolin potato salad. Just don't overcook the potatoes either.

Middle-Eastern-Style Burgers with Pomegranate Molasses - Easy
Lightly adapted from: Cooking Light Magazine, May 2014
Yield: 4 servings

2 Tbl. pomegranate molasses (plus an additional tablespoon for topping)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. ground red (cayenne) pepper
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. lean ground chicken, turkey or veal
2 tsp. olive oil
4 hamburger buns

In a small, bowl whisk together pomegranate molasses with the next 6 ingredients (all of the spices).   Place ground meat in a mixing bowl.  Add in pomegranate mixture.  Use your hands to gently work it in just until combined.  Divide mixture into 4 equal portions.  Gently shape each into a thin patty.

Lightly coat grilling pan with olive oil, then set over high heat.  When very hot, arrange burgers in a single layer.   Grill 1 1/2 minutes on each side for medium. Remove pan from heat; transfer burgers to awaiting buns. 

If desired, lightly brush burgers with additional pomegranate molasses before serving.