Burger Night

Living in Los Angeles the past five years we ate A LOT of food. I have the expanding  waistline to prove it. I’d love to blame it on the addition of two children and sleepless nights, perhaps that played a part, but in reality we went all out and every week were laser focused on eating our way through the city’s expansive food scene. Getting home to Dublin has been a welcome respite from the almost addictive eating that was going on! Sure, we cooked at home lots but I was constantly itching to try the next new spot, whether it was a taco stand shaving meat off a spit with sweet pineapple or a cafe that specialized in the finicky to make French canelé, I spent hours checking out where to eat next. Burger’s were not something I’ve ever majorly craved but the years in the US have certainly changed that. I was sent to pick up thin patties smashed on a grill with cheese and sandwiched in pillowy buns with a pickle and ketchup from the burger joint dangerously close to our house on more occasions than I’d like to share while Sofie was pregnant. Burger night is a special treat and done right at home it’s a great feast for the family. With the weather giving us plenty of hope for the Summer here are three really doable burger recipes that will give you great results at home, indoors or out. Lamb is the unsung hero of Irish summer barbeques and I really urge you to try it over a hot grill this season, whether it’s a whole boneless leg spiced and charred on the outside with blushing meat or the more simple option of burgers here, give it a go, the results are always phenomenal. I’ve also added a meat free option with my reliable beet burgers that I have used so many times for vegetarian guests with great results, the burgers once formed freeze well if you wanted to prep in advance. Lastly an ode to all those burgers that have left an indelible mark on my mind and body, the mighty smashburger is a terribly easy but incredibly rewarding method to make a more classic burger. If you choose to BBQ the smashburgers, make sure to use a flat grill plate which is essential to getting your smash on.

Up your burger game this summer and serve them up with plenty of fresh salads and greens for ya know… balance!

This  Lamb Burger with Tzatziki & Good Greek Salad is one of the most underrated Summer meats and is perfect for BBQ feasts. Here it makes a delightfully different burger option and served with a Greek salad and some tzatziki you’ll be dreaming of a sun chair beside the Adriatic sea!

As there are not too many other ingredients involved, the most important part to these  Smashburgers is getting mince that has a higher fat content, lean mince is not what you want, the fat adds flavour and creates a juicy, flavoursome burger. Go for the authentic plastic American cheese or if you can’t bring yourself to it, some good Irish cheddar would bring up the standards considerably!

Gone are the days of bland, boring veggie burgers! My  Beet Burgers are earthy from the beetroot and sweet from the carrots making them a wholesome and tasty meat-free alternative.

BITE-SIZE:

Finding our feet!

We’re home in Ireland a month now and it’s taken almost that long to get into new patterns and routines. Strange times but we’re loving seeing our boys back home!

Negroni O’Clock!

My go to evening lockdown cocktail at the moment is the mighty negroni. It’s easy to mix, 1 part gin, 1 part campari, 1 part vermouth over ice with an orange wedge and a quick stir.

Quick Fix Summer Pasta!

Pimp your tub of pesto with some toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves and grated courgette and chopped kale all tossed through freshly cooked pasta with plenty of Parm for an easy mid-week Summer supper.

Follow these links for the recipes in the photos:

Lamb Burger with Tzatziki & Good Greek Salad

Smashburgers

Beet Burgers