Summer seems not quite ready to make an ongoing appearance this year, we have had little snippets but she just does not seem to want to hang around for any length of time. Strange weather indeed. The intermittent summer, however does not put a stop to firing up the BBQ.
Post holidays full of good food, good wine and most importantly good company it is time for a little healthier living, a little less of the indulgence, a little less of the vino. 4 weeks on the wagon is underway. However that doesn't need to mean a diet of rabbit food, in fact on that I wouldn't last more than a couple of days, if that.
A sudden craving for burger and onion rings and I think I have found a solution that sacrifices none of the flavor and could actually be considered quite healthy at best and certainly not over indulgent. So a result on both counts. The burgers take only a few minutes to mix together, throw together a bit of a DIY burger bar and you can feed a crowd and let them all make up there own burgers with whatever trimmings and relishes they want.
Homemade Beef Burgers
Makes 8 smallish burgers....so it will serve 4 - 8! One being enough for me, but for growing boys 2 may well be in order.
Ingredients
1kg (2.2lbs) beef mince
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Pinch of cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
To serve place fresh rolls, baby cos leaves, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber, cheese, beetroot (a Kiwi essential), relish, mustard, mayo and of course ketchup on a platter and let everyone make up their own burger.
Directions
Place the mince, garlic, tomato paste, tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix together. The easiest way is to get stuck in with your hands to ensure that is all mixed well together. Shape in to 8 patties. To ensure 8 even sized burgers use a 1/2 cup measure and then shape in to a burger. Fire up the BBQ or a griddle to a medium high heat and cook for 4 -5 minutes each side until cooked through or a little less if you like your burgers on the rarer side of done.
To serve place fresh rolls, baby cos leaves, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber, cheese, beetroot (a Kiwi essential), relish, mustard, mayo and of course ketchup on a platter and let everyone make up their own burger.
And if you would like a side of onion rings with that try these....
Oven Baked Herby Onion Rings, inspired by these onion rings over at Not Without Salt
So you want onion rings but really can't be bothered with all the kerfuffle of deep frying then I can only highly recommend these.
Ingredients
1 large onion, cut in to 1cm (1/2 inch) rings
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch cayenne
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Pinch chilli flakes
Salt and pepper
Directions
Pre heat oven to 200C/390F
In a medium bowl mix together 1/4 cup of flour, cayenne, salt and pepper and set aside. Next up for the production line; in another medium bowl add the buttermilk, egg, 1/4 cup flour, salt and pepper and whisk together until you have a smooth batter, slightly thicker than double cream. Add a little more flour if need be.
In a third bowl place the breadcrumbs, parsley, chilli, salt and pepper and mix to combine. You now have your production line all ready to go.
Dip each onion ring in to the seasoned flour and then in to the buttermilk batter. Give a gentle little shake to remove any excess batter and then coat in the bread crumbs. Do this for all the onion rings and place on a baking tray lined with parchment or some of this amazing magic paper. (Seriously they really are magic....and ways like a dream leaving no baking trays to wash up...need I say more??)
Drizzle with just a little rice bran (or vegetable oil) and pop in to the oven for 20 minutes. Check them after 10 and turn them over. Remove from the oven, scatter with a good sprinkling of sea salt and serve alongside the DIY burger bar.
My new photographic assistant |
Juicy burgers bursting with flavor, fresh crunch from a little salad, earthy sweetness from the beetroot, a little cheese, ketchup, mayo and mustard for me and one tasty little burger. The onion rings on the side all the crunch of their deep friend counterparts and even better a little heat from the pinch of chilli wrapped around the sweet onion.
Perfect for summer or even our not so summery summer.
And the beautiful new fabric...that would be from Gorgi NZ and you can check out out all their lovely things here.
If you like this you might like this Grilled Vegetables with Lemon Cumin Yoghurt and Dukkah
One year ago Herb Soup
Enjoy!