Wow, what a perfect thread...I'm going to try a lot of these.
Here's my primary burger blend for you all:
Either all ground lamb or half and half with lean ground beef
1/2tsp. Curry Powder or Tandoori Powder per burger (this adds a real flavor to the whole endeavor - use either hot or sweet curry, or just tandoori powder)
1-3 cloves garlic crushed per burger
Dash of large crystal salt and fresh ground pepper
A hint of chili powder
1-2tbsp bread crumbs (if you can, let some sourdough get stale and run it through a processor to make this, but don't use the crust)
Now, mix it all and go for it -- these turn out crazy good without falling apart on the grill. The garlic is a great flavor that doesn't end up super concentrated (it just has to be throroughly mixed in so it does not burn). The curry or tandoori also really lends an exotic spiciness to it, without overruling the flavor of the meat, though some may prefer to have a bit less powder per burger. The bread crumbs, if overused, can make the burger too cakey, so be careful to get a good blend.
I recommend my coconut sauce to go on it (coconut creme, coconut milk, yogurt, sugar and vanilla) though this can be too sweet. For cheeses, I like a good medium cheddar, or for a really interesting twist, aged gouda that is *completely* melted. Another twist I've taken to, is aged gouda and my coconut rice between it and the burger -- it's an interesting twist with a lot of flavor.
For buns, I've taken to potato bread buns with a coating of olive oil on the outside and butter on the insides.
I'm a traditional topper in terms of veggies, fresh slice of juicy tomato and a big 'ol leaf of romaine usually do it for me. Add mustard and ketchup if you like as well.
If any of you try this, let me know. This is my first post in a while, so I'd love to see how this goes for everyone