Beef, Mint, and Pepperoncini Burgers with Lemon-Feta Sauce

This large, heaping burger might best be eaten with a knife and fork. The heat, tang, and crunch of pepperoncini peppers are welcome additions to the herb-filled burger. Look for jars of the peppers in the grocery store's pickle aisle. The creamy sauce tames the heat of the pepper.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 burger)

Ingredients

• Relish:
• 1 1/2  cups  quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1  tablespoon  finely chopped fresh mint
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 
  Sauce:
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
• 1/4  cup  plain fat-free yogurt
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  honey
• 1  garlic clove
• 
  Burgers:
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh mint
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped seeded pickled pepperoncini peppers
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1  pound  ground round
• Cooking spray
• 5  (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

Preparation

To prepare relish, combine tomatoes, 1 tablespoon mint, and 1 tablespoon juice; cover and chill until ready to serve.

To prepare sauce, place feta cheese and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor, and process 2 minutes or until smooth, scraping sides. Cover and chill.

Prepare grill or broiler.

To prepare burgers, combine 1/2 cup mint and next 6 ingredients (through beef). Divide mixture into 5 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top with 1/4 cup relish. Drizzle each serving with about 2 tablespoons sauce; top with top halves of buns. Serve immediately.

Wine note: The sauce of lemon, feta cheese, and yogurt on this tasty burger adds a salty, tangy flavor that can make many red wines taste flat and dull. So opt for a fresh, clean, dry white wine instead (whoever said white wines don't go with red meat?). My favorite choice: a snappy pinot grigio, served well chilled. The 2003 Zenato Pinot Grigio from Veneto, Italy, is an affordable choice at about $10. -Karen MacNeil

Nutritional Information

Calories:

378 (28% from fat)

Fat:

11.9g (sat 4.4g,mono 4g,poly 1.3g)

Protein:

27.9g

Carbohydrate:

39.8g

Fiber:

2.4g

Cholesterol:

62mg

Iron:

4.2mg

Sodium:

647mg

Calcium:

122mg