Simple Beef Burgers. Only extra animal are the ones you add yourself!

Piled high with all you know!

BURGERS

The humble burger has been getting some very bad press lately. But I think this little recipe idea will make it a favourite again. 

The thing with the burger is the that it is just the start to a great burger. What is even better is that they freeze great so you can make a batch and keep for a nice easy meal.


To make 4 burgers

400grams of 100% minced beef
1 medium egg
1 medium onion (if you want, I also add a wee bit free chopped chilies too)
pinch of salt and pepper
oil for frying 

Extras! 
Burger rolls
Sauce
Onion
Tomato
Lettuce 

You will need the following utensils

1 large bowl
a small bowl
a fork
knife and chopping board
grease proof paper
two dinner plates
griddle or frying pan 
Bread knife 

Method 

Cooking the burgers to juicy perfection

Finely chop up the onion  (and chillies) and put into the bowl. Add the mince to the bowl and mix well, if you can handle it use your hands to mix it all together. Wash you hand and move onto wisking up your egg. 

Once the egg is whisked add to your meat mix and get those hands dirty and mix well together. It will be sticky and gloopy but trust me this will be all good in the end. Keep the egg on the small side of medium and we will all be ok! Divide mixture into 4 pieces and roll with your hands into a ball shape. 

On one of you dinner plates place a sheet of greaseproof paper, place one of the ball on top of this. Place another sheet of greaseproof over the ball and use the other plate to press down will the burger is about 2cm thick. Repeat till you have all 4 burgers ready to go. 

In your pan put a little oil and place on a medium heat. Wait a few moments before placing your burger in the pan. Don't overcrowd your pan. If all the burgers do not fit just cook them in batches.  Cook on one side on a medium heat for about 4 mins, then flip and do the same on the other side. The juices should run clear from the burger when it is cook so you might need to "flip and cook" for a bit longer. 

Once your burger is ready your can start construction! 

Below is the blue chilli bacon burger. 

On the bottom piece of your burger bun place some lettuce, put one burger on top of that. A a slice of blue cheese on to the top of your burger. Place a slice of bread or a spare burger bun bottom (try saying that fast 5 times, burger bun bottom burger bum bioojuiygilgiqg) on to the pile, add some more lettuce, tomato and onion on to that. Place the next burger on that. Top the burger with blue cheese, fresh chopped chilli (as many as you can handle) a couple of slices of bacon, more salad and finally add the burger bun top.

Ready for anything. This is a double blue chilli bacon burger. 

Other possible extras:

Blue cheese
Fresh chillies
Cheddar cheese
Thousand island dressing
Bacon (with a drizzle of maple syrup for extra mouthwatering flavour)
Extra slice of bread (this holds the burger together if you are going double decker, like in the blue chilli bacon burger above. 
A fried egg.
Anything you want!



PS not a bad recipe for a vegetarian, my boyfriend thinks these burgers are the bomb.

A wee bit of Scotland cooking away in Catalunya! Dish 1: Fish supper (fish n chips)

Easy at home Fish Supper  

Nothing smells better than warm newspaper! 

When you ask someone to describe British cuisine, Fish n Chips is always mentioned. If you ask about Scottish food the famous “deep fries Mars bar” always raises a few questions.

Today I am going to share with you the secret to a wee taste of Scotland where ever you are.

For each person you will need: 

2 fresh fillets of Fish. I use “Merluza”, Hake, here in Barcelona, but you can use what white fish you like, Haddack for example.

1/2 a cup of flour seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper. 
2 eggs, beaten. 
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs. I use the ready preppared fine breadcrumbs
Oil for shallow frying. 

For the Chips. 

4-5 floury potatoes. I find the muddier the potato the better the chip. 
Sunflower oil for deep frying.  

Method:

First, get yourself all prepped. The utensils you will need are: 

A knife or peeler for the potatoes.
A large bowl. 
3 plates or wide flat bowls for your flour, eggs and breadcrumbs.
A frying pan that will take your fish, if not just cut fish into the size you need. 
A deep pan that can be used for deep frying or a deep fat frier with drainer.
A spatula or two for flipping your fish. 
Some grease proof paper.
A few sheets from a newspaper. 

First peel your potatoes and cut into thick wedges shaped chips. Rinse with water and place in your large bowl and leave to one side. 
Place your oil in the fryer and put on the heat. Do not over fill your frier. 
Whilst your oil is getting ready to receive your chips, you can now prepare your fish. 
Wash your fish in cold water before you start. 
 Now you will never be able to get that fried in litres of lard flavour at home, so best not to try. This breaded method taste great and works really well with the chips.
Your deep fat frier should be up to heat, check by dropping a chip in, if it floats and sizzles you are ready to rock! 
Do not over fill your frier with your raw chips. To many chips and the oil will cool and they will end up soggy.  They might take up to 15 mins to fry so keep an eye whilst you do your fish. 
In one of your bowls place your flour, in the second bowl your beaten eggs and in the final bowl the breadcrumbs. 
Before you bread your fish put a little oil, enough to cover the bottom of your pan generously, onto a medium heat. Not to high a heat as can burn the breadcrumbs but under cook the fish, not to low as you will have soggy batter.  
Flour your fish by pitting each side of the fillet into the flour a few times, move to the egg, egging both sides then move to the breadcrumbs. Put each side into the breadcrumbs, pressing them firmly into the crumbs. I repeat the process again to allow for an extra crispy layer. 
Your frying pan should be hot enough by now. To test dip the end of one of the fillets into the oil. If it sizzles away you are ready. 
Cook one side until you see it is crispy and brown, flip over and cook the other side. 
Lay out a few sheets of newspaper and top them with a sheet of grease proof. 
Your chips will be almost ready now, take one out to test. They should be golden on the outside but soft in the middle. The best test is the taste test!
Drain the chips and fish from their pans. I pat them with a wee bit of kitchen roll. 
Place your fish n chips in their paper, salt n vinegar to taste, wrap them up and serve.    

 

Perfect with a dash of salt and a good splash of vinegar.