Burgers, Buns and Summer Fun!

Burgers, Buns, And Summer Fun!

Sun’s out, burger buns out!

While many of us are home, and with more time on our hands, there is no better time than now to catch the sun in your own back garden.

And with so many options for al fresco dining, why not?

Barbecues are no longer a pre-planned social affair; whereas Brits now have on average 70% fewer pre-arranged barbecues since 2002, the number that we have as a family per summer has risen from 2.5 to over 10. And as many as 3 in 4 of us own a barbecue.

Al fresco dining gives us the opportunity to enjoy our own back yards, spend more time with family, and add a little variety and fun to our weekly routine.

If you’re lucky enough to have your own barbecue, or even just a disposable one, we’ve got some easy and creative recipes to spice up your Sunday grill and make the most of summer.

And even if you’re stuck indoors, you can use the grill on your oven as a little ray of sunshine to brighten up your lockdown!

So, let’s take a look at some perfect BBQ meals that everyone can enjoy. And if you find you’re short of the required ingredients, why not consider ordering yourself a bespoke pack of meats from local suppliers, like the ones Northern Raised can provide?

That way, you can support local businesses while enjoying tasty treats!

Korean Barbecue Burgers

Serves 3

Refreshingly different to the ‘same-old’ greasy, sloppy-Joe American-style burgers, deep, rich and powerful spicy flavours are packed into Korean barbecue, making it one of the most popular (and fastest spreading) barbecue styles today. But while Korean barbecues are difficult to find in the UK anywhere other than major cities, there is no reason why you can’t bring it home to your own kitchen or garden. Here’s a simple little recipe to get you started.

Ingredients:

Burger

1lb ground beef

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Ready-made Bao Buns (available at Sainsbury’s and M&S in the UK) or substitute burger buns (brioche works nicely)

2tbsp butter or ghee

Korean-style ‘Koleslaw’

1 cup shredded bok choi

1 purple cabbage, shredded

1 sliced jalapeno

¼ cucumber sliced

Salt

Sauce

½ cup soy sauce (+ 1 tbsp)

¼ cup palm or brown sugar, can also substitute molasses for a richer flavour

1 ½ tbsp. sriracha

½ tbsp. gochujang

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger (or galangal if you have it)

2 tbsp (+2tsp) of rice vinegar

2 tsp red chilli flakes

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp water

• Combine ½ cup soy sauce, sugar, sriracha, gochujang, garlic, ginger or galangal, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tsp chilli flakes in a saucepan over medium heat, bringing it to a steady boil. Separately, make the cornflour paste with the water and add to the sauce. Lower the heat and allow to thicken for 5-10 minutes.
• Combine the remaining liquid, and combine with the vegetables for the slaw.
• Make 3 patties from the meat and brush with the sauce.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side over a medium heat in pan with the butter or ghee.
• Assemble and serve your Korean-style BBQ burger!

Lamb Kofta Kebabs With Pomegranate Reduction and Mint and Cucumber Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Kofta

½ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

2 tsp ground sumac

2 tsp za’atar

1 tsp cumin

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp pepper

12 oz ground lamb

12 oz ground lean sirloin

Pomegranate Reduction

4 cups of pomegranate juice

Mint and Cucumber Salad

3 cups cucumber, chopped finely

3 cups greek yoghurt

Juice from 2 lemons

¾ cup chopped fresh mint

3 cloves garlic, minced

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1. To Prep: Make the salad by combining all the salad ingredients in a bowl. Don’t overstir.
2. Place pomegranate juice in a saucepan and reduce until thick – there should be only ¼ of the original quantity when reduced.
3. Combine the Kofta ingredients in a bowl.
4. Shape 18 meatballs from the mixture and thread onto skewers.
5. Grill on the barbecue or under the oven grill for 8-9 minutes or until done.
6. Serve with the cucumber salad and pomegranate reduction.

Falafel Burgers With Tahini Sauce And Turkish Shepherds Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Falafel Burgers

1 can chickpeas (400g)

1 small red onion

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley

½ cup fresh coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp sumac

½ tsp harissa paste

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup tahini

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp of garlic powder

½ cup 50/50 Lemon juice to water

Salad

2 cucumbers

3 beef tomatoes

1 green pepper, diced

½ cup fresh mint, chopped

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Pita (to serve):

1. Prepare the tahini sauce by combining the tahini, salt and garlic powder. Then, thin it out to the desired consistency using the lemon juice/water mix.
2. Combine the ingredients for the salad.
3. Prepare the burgers by draining the can of chickpeas and blending in a food processor with the onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander (fresh and ground), harissa, flour and salt.
4. Form into four patties and fry in an oiled pan for 3 minutes on each side.
5. Serve with pita bread, salad and tahini sauce.

Happy grilling!

This article was produced by Caterquip.