Convenient Cuisine (Part 2) - Spicy Tuna Burgers with Lemon Mayonnaise, Chicken Fajitas with Baked Bean Spread and Sour Cream

Spicy Tuna Burgers with Lemon Mayonnaise

Preparation & cooking time: 30 minutes. Serves: 5

INGREDIENTS

Tuna patty

·         2 cans tuna chunks in olive oil

·         1 big red  onion, diced finely

·         2 cloves garlic

·         1 cup breadcrumbs

·         2 eggs

·         A few basil leaves

·         1 tablespoon ground black pepper

·         Salt to taste

·         5 hamburger buns, split

·         Tomato slices

·         Rocket leaves

Lemon mayonnaise

·         ½ cup mayonnaise

·         3 cloves garlic, finely minced

·         Zest of 1 lemon

·         Juice of half a lemon

·         Parsley leaves

METHOD

Tuna patty

1. Mix the onion and garlic with tuna chunks until it becomes a much. Remove and set aside.
2. In a food processor, put in the bread crumbs and basil and blitz till fine.
3. Put both mixture together and add pepper, salt and eggs and bind it into a homogenous paste.
4. Form into patties. Yields about 5 large patties. Grill on one side on low flame for about 5-7 minutes before flipping over. (Trick: make a halfway-deep hole in the centre of the patty when placing on grill. When hole looks like it has shrunk and is about to close, flip over. Leave for the same length of time on the other side).

Lemon mayonnaise

Whip all ingredients except parsley till smooth. Add parsley as gamish and spread a generous amount on burger buns. Add rocket leaves, tuna patty and sliced tomatoes and cheese if desired.

Tip: for a sizzling version, add some slices of chilli padi in the tuna mixture.

Chicken Fajitas with Baked Bean Spread and Sour Cream

Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus 6 hours or more for marinating. Cooking time: 10 minutes. Yields 10 small fajitas

INGREDIENT

Chicken fajitas

·         3 skinless chicken breasts (cut into strips)

·         6 cloves garlic, crushed

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         ¼ cup lime juice

·         2 teaspoon ground cumin

·         2 tablespoons chilli powder

·         2 teaspoon ground black pepper

·         Salt to taste

·          ¼ cup chicken broth

·         2 tablespoons olive oil, extra

·         2 big yellow onions, sliced

·         1 yellow capsicum and 1 red capsicum (pepper), cut into thin strips

·         ¼ cup sour cream

·         1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

·         10 small flour torillas

·         Coral lettuce

Tomato salsa

·         4 big tomatoes

·         6 cloves garlic

·         Freshly-ground black pepper

·         Salt to taste

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Baked bean spread

·         1 can baked beans

·         4 cloves garlic

·         2 teaspoons chilli powder

·         1 teaspoon cumin powder

·         Juice of half a lemon

·         1 teaspoon paprika

·         1 teaspoon ground black

METHOD

Chicken fajita

1. Combine ¼ cup olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, chilli powder, cumin and pepper.
2. Stir well. Add chicken pieces, cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (the longer, the better).
3. In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken and broth and cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until chicken is done.
4. Add red and yellow bell pepper and onion. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. The vegetables should be crisp.

Tomato salsa

1. Dice the tomatoes finely.
2. Mince garlic and add with rest of ingredients to the diced tomatoes and chill.

Baked bean spread

1.    Blend all ingredients in a food processor well.

Fajita assembly

1.    Heat tortilla in a microwave for 15 seconds.

2.    Lay the coral lettuce in the middle of the warm tortilla. Add tomato salsa and then the sour cream.

3.    Add chicken and spread baked bean spread. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and fold.

Tip: best eaten immediately to prevent it from tasting soggy.