Slice the top portion of the garlic head off with a serrated knife to expose the tops of the cloves. Place on a large piece of foil. Sprinkle the tops of each garlic head with a little salt and pepper, then drizzle each of them with a little olive oil. Wrap the foil up and over the garlic heads so they are sealed tightly within. Put the garlic package on a baking pan and bake approximately one hour, or until a nice golden brown color. Do not let the garlic become overly dark, it will become bitter. Remove and allow to cool. Garlic is now ready for use or freezing. If freezing, put garlic into individual sealable plastic bags.
In the meantime, heat ¼ cup olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a large pinch of salt. Stir and cook the onions until they are completely soft and beginning to brown. Add the mustard seeds and stir and toast for a minute or two; they may even begin to pop. Next, add the garam masala and the curry powder and stir them into the onion mixture. Cook about 2 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook the garlic a minute or two, then add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir the mixture to blend then let it simmer gently 25 to 30 minutes or until it is fairly thick. Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent scorching. If sauce becomes too thick, a little water can be added. This sauce can also be started several hours ahead of time and finished in a slow cooker on low for two or three hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Mix yogurt with fresh mint and cilantro and scallions in small bowl; add a pinch salt and a pinch of cayenne. Stir to mix and set aside.
While sauce is simmering, mix together the lamb and beef in a large bowl. Remove cloves of garlic from the roasted head, mash with a fork, and add to the meat along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Divide the meat into halves and make 3 burgers from each half.
Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Place burger patties onto a sheet pan covered with two layers of foil. Grill burger patties for 5 minutes, then carefully turn them over and grill the second sides. Grill to desired doneness. Thickness of patties and temperature of grill will affect cooking times. Remove first layer of foil and place cooked burgers on second layer.
Place burgers onto buns and top with spiced tomato sauce, minted yogurt and some lettuce, if desired. Serve immediately.
Note: The roasted garlic is a nice recipe to make large quantities of since it’s very little extra work to make enough to freeze!
Chef's Notes:
Note: The roasted garlic is a nice recipe to make large quantities of since it’s very little extra work to make enough to freeze!