Mini Spiced Llama sliders

• 1 pound of ground Llama
• 2 packages of Kings Hawaiian sweet rolls (you will only need 16, freeze the other 8 rolls)
• 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• Half a sweet vadelia onion, chopped to a medium dice
• extra-virgin olive oil
• chopped, fresh cilantro
• grated Reggianito cheese (a fine substitute is Parmigiano-Reggiano)

The sweet rolls can be toasted a few hours ahead of time. Just slice them in half and toast the buns, cut side down on the top rack of your grill. I generally like to leave them on for a good 3-5 minutes when the grill is around 400°. It depends on two factors: how far is the top rack from the flame and how toasted do you like your buns? Don’t tell me… I’m not sure I want to know about your buns after all.

Pre-heat your grill to medium high, setting the grate approximately 4″ from the heat. Caramelize the onion in a large saucepan. Keep warm in the oven while the burgers cook.

Combine the ground Llama, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand. You might notice the meat becomes darker from the cumin – trying to get that color uniform throughout the meat is a good way to ensure even distribution of the spices. Once mixed, form 1 ounce ‘patties’ that you can flatten slightly before grilling.

Cook the burgers on the grill until they are medium rare. Its key to not over cook the slider, unless you like dry meat. I personally don’t.

Assemble your slider by placing a burger on the toasted bun bottom. Top the burger with a little cilantro, some grated cheese and onions. Not necessarily in that order. Makes 16.

source: based on a recipe first published by Real Simple