Pregamed the Strokes concert at Madison Square Garden with an absolutely fantastic dinner at 5 Napkin Burger: I started going a year and a half ago for the ridiculously good tater tots (basically deep-fried scoops of cheesy, parsley-stuffed mashed potatoes), but kept coming back for the burgers (the veggie are easily top three in the city, but the cheeseburger for two is my new fave).

    (burger for two)

(tater tots)

(cornmeal-crusted onion rings)

(deep-fried pickles and pastrami with sauerkraut & mustard oil)

Big news: today the Hoboken apartment acquired a new roommate that’s going to change everything. Gone are the days of watery salad dressing, chunky frosting, and tired wrists from grating carrots by hand. We got a brand new food processor. And tonight, I gave it a proper welcome by enlisting its help in making lamb burgers with red pepper hummus.

Part of being a good cook, as reality TV has taught us, is not only about knowing your strengths but also about knowing your weaknesses, knowing when to step back and cede control of the kitchen. My boyfriend makes much better hamburger buns than I do. He kneads the dough more thoroughly, lets it rise more patiently, and pays more attention to the details of brushing the uncooked rolls with a mixture of beaten egg and melted butter and covering them while baking to get the perfectly golden, squishy crust that great hamburger buns require. Also, he doesn’t have class on Tuesdays and so could be home to make them. So he does. And they’re fantastic.

Lamb burgers:

• 1 + 1/2 lbs ground lamb
• 1/2 medium raw onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 generous handful parsley
• 1 raw egg
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. Food process! Mixture will be creamy and kinda goopy. Shape into 5 patties.
2. Heat oil in pan at high heat until sizzling. Fry burgers approximately 4 minutes per side.

Roasted red pepper hummus:

• 1 can chickpeas 
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 generous handful parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers
• Juice from 1/2 lemon

1. Food process! Adjust to taste. Ta-da.