10 handy tips to
supersize the flavour of your burgers:
1 It's best not to use
extra-lean beef mince when making burger patties, as you need a certain amount
of fat to enhance the overall flavour and to stop the patties from drying out
during the cooking process.
2 If you're using a
high-fat mince, you may need to add some breadcrumbs to the mixture to soak up
any excess moisture and prevent the patties becoming too soft and falling apart
during cooking.
3 Once the patties have
been shaped, cover them and let them rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour to
allow the flavours to develop and to firm them up before cooking.
4 To make sure that
your patties are the right size, shape them until they are about 1cm larger all
around than the bun; they'll shrink during cooking.
5 Cook burger patties
over medium heat to ensure that they cook evenly through the centre without
burning on the outside.
6 Don't squash the
patties down during cooking: if you do, you'll lose all of the juices and end
up with a tough burger.
7 For added flavour in
your patties, you can add pesto, chopped olives, mustard, chutney or relish to
the mince as quick flavour boosters.
8 Choose bread rolls
that you can sink your teeth into... literally! You don't want to end up with
the burger fillings all down the front of your shirt.
9 Alternatives to beef
mince include lamb, chicken, pork, fish and even mashed vegetables. Choose
spices and accompaniments to suit: for example, grill some cored apple slices
instead of pineapple for a pork burger; or use baba ganoush and fried haloumi
to accompany a lamb burger.
10 Burgers are best
assembled just before serving. The heat of the patty will melt any cheese and
help your sauce soak into the bun for extra deliciousness.
Fried onion rings
Fried
onion rings
Serves 4
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Ingredient
¾ cup plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking
powder
1 cup soda water
Vegetable oil, for
shallow frying
2 medium red onions,
sliced, rings separated
Recipe
1. Sift flour and baking powder into a
large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Make a well in centre. Gradually whisk
in soda water until mixture forms a smooth, thin batter.
2. Add enough oil to a large frying pan
to come 2cm up side of pan. Heat over medium-high heat.
3. Dip onion rings in batter, tossing to
coat. Lift rings from batter, shaking off excess. Cook, in batches, for 1 to 2
minutes, turning, until golden brown. Transfer onto a baking tray lined with
paper towel to drain. Serve immediately.
NUTRITION: (per serve)
887kJ; 11.9g fat; 1.5g sat fat; 3.6g protein; 22g carbs; 1.7g fibre; 0mg chol;
110mg sodium.
