Wild Mushroom and Ground Lamb Tikka Masala Burger

Pickled Red Onions:

• 1 quart red onions, shaved thinly
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup red wine vinegar

Tomato Chutney:

• 3 ounces sugar
• 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 3 pounds red vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 whole clove
• 2 ounces honey

Raita:

• 4 ounces Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon mint, chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon toasted cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Marinade:

• 1 1/2 cups soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 4-inch piece dried kelp

Burgers:

• 1/2 cup (1 ounce) diced king oyster mushrooms 
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger, finely minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
• 1 1/2 cup (3 ounces) diced mushrooms, such as shiitake, chanterelle, shimeji, and enoki
• 1⁄2 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1⁄2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon finely chopped mint
• 1⁄2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 8 ounces ground lamb
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 hamburger buns

Make the pickled onions: place the shaved red onions in a shallow pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour the red wine vinegar over the top and let marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Refrigerate until needed.

Make the tomato chutney: in a two-quart sauce pot, add the sugar. Melt the sugar over medium heat. Once the sugar is melted and starts to turn a light brown or amber color, add the apple cider vinegar. Stir to incorporate, then stir in the water. Add the remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool. Refrigerate until needed.

Make the raita: combine all ingredients in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Season to taste. Refrigerate until needed.

Make the marinade: place the soy sauce and sugar in a small sauce pot. Heat over a low flame. When the sugar begins to dissolve, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the dried kelp. Let the reduction cool completely. Discard the kelp and reserve.

Make the burgers: preheat the oven to 275ºF. Toss the king oyster mushrooms with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms on a lined sheet pan and roast until crispy, about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool.

In a large sauté pan, heat 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and sweat the onions, ginger, and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat and add the diced shiitake, chanterelle, shimeji, and enoki mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the mushroom mixture from the heat and let cool.

Add the mushroom mixture to a food processor and pulse lightly, about 4 to 6 times. Do not overpulse.

In a separate bowl, combine the ground lamb, roasted mushrooms, pulsed mushrooms, herbs, and spices. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Form into 4 burger patties of equal size.

Heat a grill or grillpan to medium-high heat. Cook each burger patty to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium. While the burgers cook, use a brush to apply marinade to both sides of the patties. As the burgers cook, the marinade will form a caramelized crust.

Sandwich each cooked burger patty between a bun. Serve with the pickled onions, tomato chutney, and raita on the side.