Karoline Boehm Goodnick, Boston Globe Correspondent  May 23, 2017
1. In a medium bowl, toss onion with salt, sugar, and crushed red pepper. Macerate for 1 hour.
2. Pour red wine vinegar over onions and brine for 30 minutes (total prep time is 1½ hours).

TZATZIKI
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. In a colander or fine-mesh sieve, liberally season cucumber with salt. Drain for 30 minutes.

2. Transfer cucumber to cheesecloth or clean, dry dish towel. Squeeze any remaining liquid out of the cucumbers.

3. In a small bowl, stir together cucumbers with yogurt, garlic, mint, parsley, salt, and pepper.
BURGERS
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for brushing
Cracked black pepper (for sprinkling)
1. In a small dry skillet, toast cumin over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic. Reserve.

2. In a medium bowl, lightly knead ground lamb with onion, garlic, mint, parsley, toasted cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover meat tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours.

3. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium hot. Form 4 patties, about 6 ounces each and ½ inch thick. Brush with olive oil and season liberally with salt and cracked black pepper.

4. Brush the grill with olive oil. Grill lamb burgers for approximately 6 minutes per side (total cooking time is 10-12 minutes). Keep burgers warm. Toast sesame buns on grill.

5. Place burgers on buns and top with quick pickles and tzatziki. Adapted from Mary Dumont