These burgers are my wife's absolute favourite. They use leftover red pepper pesto (see separate recipe), which results in a beautifully moist and flavourful patty. These burgers can be fried, oven-baked or barbecued and are perfect served with mozzarella and salad in a toasted brioche bun.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes (plus marinating time)
Serves: 4
Ingredients
500 g minced pork
200 g leftover red pepper pesto
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
100 g fresh breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper
4 brioche buns
1 little gem lettuce
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
125 g ball of mozzarella
Method
1. Place the pork mince, pesto, parsley, garlic powder and onion powder into a glass bowl and combine well. Add the breadcrumbs bit by bit until your mixture forms a ball but is not too dry. If it is too wet, the burgers will fall apart as they cook. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours (or overnight).
2. Remove the burger mix from the fridge and separate into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, before squashing and shaping it into a burger shape. Alternatively you can use a burger press if you have one.
3. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add a little olive oil. Carefully place the burgers into the hot pan and leave to fry on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip the burgers over and repeat on the other side. Do not be tempted to move the burgers around too much or you risk them falling apart. If you are oven-baking your burgers, place them on a metal tray and bake for 20-25 minutes. On a BBQ, they will take 7-10 minutes and will need to be flipped occasionally.
4. When the burgers are cooked to your liking, slice the ball of mozzarella into 4 or 8 equal pieces. Place the mozzarella on top of each burger, cover the pan with a lid and leave for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
5. Meanwhile, slice and toast your brioche buns and separate a few leaves from your lettuce.
6. When the burgers are cooked and the cheese is melted, assemble your burgers with lettuce and thinly sliced red onion. You can add any additional condiments you like, or try adding a final splodge of pesto to your bun for a fresh and fragrant kick.
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