Nothing better than a homemade burger

Everyone loves burgers, they’re easy to make and if made with quality stuff and fresh ingredients they certainly don’t have to be unhealthy, especially if served with a salad. Once you master this simple recipe you can make your own with different herbs, spices and toppings. The sky is the limit and that’s why cooking is exciting. There are many claims of invention of this great food but is commonly believed to be of German origin. The term hamburger originally derives from Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city, from where many people immigrated to the United States. In German, ‘burg’ means fortified settlement or fortified refuge and is a widespread component of place names. This popular snack is one of the most sought-after food items in the world and is the highlighted item in leading fast food joints of the world. Every restaurant tries to make their burger different from what others are doing and claims it to be their signature style. During many food festivals in the world, burger-eating competitions are common where a person has to eat a jumbo-sized burger. Ingredients(Serves 4)Beef mince (top side) 750gOnion 1 noGarlic cloves 2-3 noParsley curly ¼ cupsWorcestershire sauce 1 tbspTabasco sauce 1 tspBread crumb 1 cupEgg 1 noSalt to taste Black pepper to tasteOlive oil 2 tbspHamburger buns 4 noChicken mortadella 3-4 slicesTomato 1 noCucumber 1 noCheese slice 8 noLettuce leaves  4-6 leaves      MethodPlace beef mince, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg in a bowl.Season with salt and grounded black pepper and mix until ingredients are combined.Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape into a patty.Place prepared patties in a tray lined with grease proof paper and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat and cook the patties for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Toast the hamburger bun and arrange lettuce leaf, place the grilled patty, arrange cheese slice, cucumber, tomato slice, beef mortadella slice and gherkins.Place the second half of bun on top and serve with crispy fried potato and choice of dip on the side.Note: Arrange all your required ingredients before you begin. It is important to use a cut of meat that has little fat, as this will not only add flavour but ensures burger by preventing the patties from drying out during cooking. Mince that is too fatty will expel the fat while cooking and causing the patties to shrink considerably. Adding breadcrumb will ensure tender texture of the patty and eggs act as binding agent so that the patties can be easily shaped.Refrigerating the patties after shaping is necessary to allow the meat to rest and take shape and also the ingredients used will develop their flavour. These patties can be made in advance also and kept frozen and can be used as required. Lamb chop trio in broccoli gardenIngredients(Serves 4)Lamb chops (12)Olive oil 4 tbspGarlic chop 4-5 clovesRosemary leaves 2 sprigsDijon mustard  1 tbspSea salt to tasteBlack pepper to tasteBroccoli 2 headsCherry tomato 10-12 noFor sauceButter ½ tbsp Garlic 2 clovesLam meat trimmings as availableParsley 1-2 sprig Rosemary leaves 1 sprigMethodSelect lamb chops which is 1-1/2 inch thick and is bright red in colour and has abundant fat layering.Marinate the lamb chops with chopped garlic, chopper rosemary leaves, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and rub gently to coat evenly.Refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow the meat to absorb flavours. Pre heat a grill and grill the lamb chops to desired doneness from both sides, take care not to over char the lamb chops, also grill cherry tomato on side for a while.Steam broccoli florets in salted water and keep aside.For the sauce, sauté garlic in butter and add the lamb trimmings available from the chops and rosemary leaves. Add moisture and allow to simmer for 30 minutes so that the flavours are extracted.Once the sauce thickens, strain the trimmings and add chopped parsley and season.Once the lamb chops are grilled and nice golden brown, serve hot with steamed broccoli florets and cherry tomato and sauce on side.Note: Making a perfectly grilled lamb chop is like an art. It requires attention to detail. The first step is to choose the lamb chops carefully —  the colour of the chops should be light red. Second is to select the flavouring. Lamb goes well with garlic, rosemary, mustard, thyme and fennel. These can be chosen upon preference. Last but not the least is the grilling. You should always grill the lamb chops over medium heat and they should be cooked medium rare to medium. Also allow the meat to rest for four minutes before serving to enjoy the taste more. Be careful not to overcook the meat as lamb can get easily charred and dry out.* Tarun Kapoor is executive chef at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel.  Send your feedback to: exe.chef@horizonmanor.com