Lamb-y Melts with Cucumber Cabbage Slaw

Makes 2 melts

Melts

• Olive oil, for coating the pan

• 2 medium yellow onions, sliced

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds

• 12 ounces ground lamb (80/20)

• 5 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded

• 4 slices thick-cut marble rye bread

• Dijonaise (see below)

• Half-sour pickles and potato chips of choice, for serving

Cucumber Cabbage Slaw

• ¼ head (about 12 ounces) green cabbage, finely chopped

• 1 English cucumber, grated on a box grater

• 5 teaspoons granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Begin by prepping the onions: Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil. Add in the onions and season with salt. Cook the onions, stirring frequently and adding splashes of water as needed to deglaze the pan, until the onions are lightly golden but not totally caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Add in 2 tablespoons of butter along with the paprika, chili powder, coriander, and caraway. Cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes until jammy and yummy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. While the onions cook, prep the slaw: Place a colander inside a large bowl. Combine the cabbage, cucumbers, sugar, and salt in the colander. Mix until evenly dispersed. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to let the cabbage and cucumbers release their liquid.

3. Using your hands, squeeze the cabbage and cucumbers to release as much liquid as you can. Discard the liquid and transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, dill, and vinegar. Mix until combined, taste, and season with more salt, pepper, and/or sugar if necessary. Place in the fridge until serving.

4. Next, make the melts: Form the ground lamb into 2 (6-ounce) patties. We like to form them similar to the shape of the bread, but just a touch larger, as they will shrink when cooked. Place a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and heat until hot. Add a small drizzle of oil and add in the patties, sear the patties until a nice brown crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook patties until golden on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove patties from the pan to a plate and wipe out the pan.

5. Place about ¼ of the cheese on the bottom of two slices of rye. Place one patty on top of each. Add your desired amount of paprika onions (save for other uses!). Divide the remaining cheese between the two sandwiches. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the dijonaise on each of the remaining two slices of rye and top off both sandwiches.

6. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the cast iron and heat over medium-low. Add in the sandwiches and cook until the cheese is melted and the rye bread is toasted on both sides, adjusting the heat as needed.

7. Serve the melts with the slaw, some chips, and a pickle on the side.

Quick Dijonaise: Mix ¼ cup mayo with 1 tablespoon each dijon and whole grain mustard. Season with salt and pepper.