Recipe: Lamb burgers with Sephardic <i>charoset</i>

Active work and total preparation time: 20 minutes

1 pound lean ground lamb

1 recipe Sephardic charoset

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon oil

* Combine lamb, charoset and salt and pepper to taste in large bowl. Knead into ball, divide into 8 pieces and shape into patties.

* Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat, and fry patties until crisp and brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

8 servings. Each serving: 237 calories; 64 mg sodium; 30 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.97 gram fiber.

Sephardic charoset

Active work and total preparation time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour chilling

1/2 cup dates, pitted and cut in half

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut in half

1 apple, unpeeled, cored and diced

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

* Blend dates, apricots, apple and allspice in bowl of food processor until very finely minced. Add walnuts and pulse on and off until mixture is blended. Do not puree. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

2 cups. Each tablespoon: 24 calories; 1 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.20 gram fiber.