Week 14 - Burgers and Sliders

Well I had a craving for burgers that cheap take away was just not going to cut it.  After realising I had no mince in the freezer I decided to give a go at grinding my own in my Jamie Oliver food processor. I actually cannot believe how easy it was and how delicious it was using better quality meat in my burgers.

These turned out great and are an easy midweek meal to try.

Freshly ground meat

Caramelising the onion

Only the best mayo!

Extras

Book: http://www.jamieoliver.com

Recipe: Burgers and Sliders

Ingredients: 

Serves 4

For the burger mix

olive oil
2 medium red onions, peeled and finely chopped
6 Jacob's crackers, or 4 slices of bread, crusts removed
500 g quality lean minced beef
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 heaped teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large free-range egg
1 handful Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

For the spicy mayo

2 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise, made with free-range eggs
2 teaspoons fat-free natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
1 good pinch smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
juice of ½ lemon

To serve

6 rashers higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
6 large burger buns, or 18 small burger buns
1 soft round lettuce, leaves washed and spun dry
4 tomatoes, sliced
6 gherkins, sliced
a few pickled chillies

Method: 

You can make these burgers or sliders in an oven at full whack, on the barbecue or in a hot pan. If you're using the oven or barbecue, preheat it now.

Put a splash of olive oil into a large frying pan on a low heat and add your chopped onions. Fry for 10 minutes or until the onions have softened, then put to one side to cool completely. Blitz your crackers or bread in a food processor until you get a fine consistency. Oil a clean baking tray and put aside. Put the cooled onions into a large bowl with the rest of the burger ingredients. Use clean hands to scrunch the mixture together really well, then divide into 6 equal balls for burgers and 18 equal balls for sliders.

Wet your hands and roll the balls into burger-shaped patties about 2cm thick. Place your burgers or sliders on the oiled baking tray and pat with a little olive oil. Cover them with cling film and put the tray into the fridge for at least an hour, or until the patties firm up. This is a good time to make your spicy mayo, so put all the ingredients into a bowl, mix well and put to one side.

If using a frying pan or griddle pan, put it on a high heat now and let it get really hot. However you decide to cook your burgers, they'll want around 3 or 4 minutes per side – you may have to cook them in batches if your pan isn't big enough. When your burgers or sliders are nearly cooked on one side, add the rashers of bacon – whichever way you're cooking them – then flip the burgers and cook the bacon until golden and crisp. When the burgers are cooked to your liking and it's all looking really good, halve your burger buns and warm them through. Put the bacon on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.

When everything comes together pop your burgers or sliders on to their buns, add all your lovely toppings and your spicy mayo (you know how to put a burger together!), then tuck in with a lovely fresh salad, baked potato or potato wedges.

Changes Made: I decided to caramelise my onions - I used brown onions and popped them on the stove top for around 40minutes to reduce. I also ran out of mince so just made my own in the food processor. 

Results: Yum! They were just what I felt like, and mincing my own steak made these extra special. I also loved the kick that they cayenne pepper gave to the mayo.

Next Time: If mincing steak make sure that it is a bit fattier as this one was pretty lean and dried out a little. 

Week 12 - Fish Baps with Mushy Peas

This was a fantastic weeknight meal, pretty much no prep, quick and full of flavour. Remember to get all of your ingredients if you want a truly 15 (or 20) minute meal. I nailed this one in 20 but oh my gosh you should have seen the state of the kitchen! Poor OH with the clean up.

Watch out for cayenne pepper.. much hotter than chilli powder!!! I used quite a lot so the fish had a definite kick! I loved the yoghurt tartare though, very different and helped balance the heat.

Coating the fish

Browning it off

Yum!

Book: 15 Minute Meals

Recipe: The Best Fish Baps with Mushy Peas and Tartare Sauce

Ingredients: 

Serves 4

Baps

4 nice wholewheat gaps (any roll will do really!)
4 large (halved) or 8 small flat-fish fillets (around 480g) - I used Perch - skin off and pin boned
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
½ a mug of plain flour
olive oil
25g parmesan cheese
1 punnet of cress - I used pea sprouts
1 lemon

Peas

1 medium potato
500g frozen peas
½ a bunch of fresh mint

Sauce

6 cornichons
1 tablespoon capers
1 little gem lettuce
250g natural yoghurt
¼ of a bunch of flat leaf parsley
1 lemon

Method: 

Ingredients out, Kettle boiled, Oven at 130°c, small lidded pan high heat, large fry pan high heat, food processor (bowl blades)

Put the baps into the oven, slice the potato 0.5cm think, put it into the small pan, cover with boiling water and the lit and bring to the boil. On a sheet of greaseproof paper, season the fish with salt, pepper and cayenne, then sprinkle over flour to coat.

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the frying pan and add the fish. Cook until golden, finely grating the Parmesan over the top when you flip it over. Top the frozen peas into the pan with the potato then rip in the leafy top half of the mint and replace the lid.

Put the cornichons, capers, lettuce and yoghurt into the processor. Tear in the top leafy half of the parsley, squeeze in the lemon juice, then whiz up, season to taste and pour into a bowl. Drain the peas and potatoes, puree in the processor and season to taste. When the fish is perfect, get the baps out of the oven and serve with the peas, tartare sauce, punches of cress and lemon wedges.


Changes Made: Regular multi-grain rolls

Results: Great! Nice and light meal, pretty healthy and so tasty! The peas were fantastic and will be something to incorporate a lot more in dinners, very quick. Fish was delish although I underestimated the potency of cayenne pepper.. lucky I can handle the heat!

Next Time: Nothing :)

Week 7 - Zucchini

This week is very simple but so scrumptious you will want to cook it every day like I do! I have always enjoyed zucchini in stews, casseroles and pasta but not much as a stand alone side dish. 

This took less than 5minutes but the flavour I still remember!

Browning in the pan

Finished product

Book: Cook with Jamie

Recipe: Simple sautéed courgettes (zucchini) with chilli and lemon

Ingredients: 

Serves 4

4 small zucchini's
olive oil
1 dried red chilli, crumbled
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1/2 a lemon
a knob of butter

Method: 

Slice your zucchini with a mandolin slicer or sharp knife so they're just under 0.5cm thick. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and pour in a good splash of olive oil.

Drop the zucchini slices into the pan and fry for 2 minutes with the chilli and garlic until the zucchini begin to brown. Season well with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice and butter and cook for another 2 minutes. When the lemon juice has evaporated, take the pan off the heat, divide the zucchini onto plates and serve.

Changes Made: One large zucchini instead of 4 small ones, thats it!

Results: Amazing, so simple, had it with satay chicken and rice but will definitely be making it for a snack. 

Next Time: Nothing different!

Week 6 - Mixed Fish Grill

My sister came to visit and in traditional Adelaide weather it was a weekend of high thirties days and hot nights.. not very nice! This week was a sister pick and we thought we would enjoy the day with some seafood. This recipe had it all, easy to make, healthy, tasty and so quick!

There was more to this recipe, but due to the weather we felt we did not need he fennel and couscous sides.

Sorry for the lack of photos, I was too excited about eating I forgot to take a "finished" shot.

The base of champions!

Just about to pop in the oven

Book: 15 minute meals

Recipe: Mixed Fish Grill

Ingredients: 

Serves 4

1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 fresh red chilli
12 ripe mixed colour cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1/2 a lemon
400g mixed fish fillets, scaled and pin boned (we used snapper and tuna)
4 large raw shell on prawns
500g clams and mussels, scrubbed, cleaned and debearded

Method: 

Roughly chop the parsley leaves and chilli and out into a large high sided roasting tray with the tomatoes. Squash in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher and mix with 1 tablespoon of oil, salt, pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. Half the fish fillets, then add to the tray with the shellfish (throw away any mussels or clams that wont close when tapped), and toss together. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until the clams and mussels have opened (throw away any that remain closed).

Serve with lemon wedges.

Changes Made: More prawns, as we love them! Not much else changed as its such a simple and easy one. 

Results: Delish! Loved the addition of the cherry tomatoes as they just pop in your mouth with sweet goodness. This was so easy, although it all ended up a little salty from the mussels opening (I assume that was why) and tasted a little sea watery. 

Next Time: Maybe cook the mussels separate, and turn the oven up more!!