Burger

How do you make your hamburger patties? I always make it the same way, and would like to try something different. Thanks

For a complete change, how about turkey burgers with apricots, ginger, orange and sage? Pretty low fat!



Or these which will ruin your taste buds for any others.


Cheeseburgers

Serves 4


Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 slices white bread

100ml milk

500g prime minced beef

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp finely snipped chives

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 slices bacon or pancetta

4 slices cheese (I prefer gruyere)

4 hamburger buns, sourdough rolls or muffins

4 tbsp tomato relish (homemade is best, scroll down for recipe)

8 lettuce leaves

2 tomatoes, thickly sliced

2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise


Method

1. Heat half the olive oil and cook the onion until it softens, then set aside.

2. Soak the white bread in the milk, then squeeze dry and finely chop. In a bowl, mix the minced beef with the onions, bread, parsley, chives, salt and pepper.

3. Add the egg, and mix well with your hands, squeezing and kneading.

4. Form the mixture into four thick patties that are roughly the same diameter as the bun. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until needed.

5. Grill or pan-fry the bacon or pancetta.

6. Cooking the burgers: If grilling, brush the burgers with the remaining olive oil and grill on both sides until well-browned. If pan-frying, heat the remaining olive oil in a heavy-based frypan and cook the burgers for on both sides until well-browned. Top each one with a slice of cheese as it comes off the heat.

7. Split the buns, and lightly toast the insides only. Don't butter them! Top the base buns with tomato relish, then place lettuce leaves on top. Arrange the cheese-burger on the lettuce, top with two rashers of bacon, and a slice of tomato. Add a dollop of mayonnaise and the remaining bun half, and serve.



Tomato Relish

Makes 300 ml

(takes about an hour to make)


Ingredients

1 kg ripe tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Method

1. Cut the tomatoes in half, and roughly chop. Blast them in a food processor until smooth.

2. Heat the olive oil and fry the onions for 10 minutes until soft and lightly brown. Add the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper and tomatoes, and cook down, stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom, until the sauce is thick and pulpy.

3. Taste for salt and pepper, and ladle into a clean, dry, sterilised 300 ml jar. Leave to cool, then seal.


BTW, you can keep this relish in the fridger for up to 2 weeks.