PREPARATION: 40 minutes
COOKING TIME: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
For the sauce
- 1 tbsp (8 g) capers
- ½ onion
- 6 small pickled gherkins
- ½ cup (120 g) mayonnaise
(see recipe)
- 1 tbsp (5 g) chopped parsley
- salt, milled pepper
For the burgers
- 6 plain or squid ink buns
(see recipes)
- 2 eggs
- generous 1⅔ cups (200 g)
all-purpose flour
- 2 pinches baking soda
- ⅔–¾ cup (150–200 ml) beer
- oil for frying
- 6 fillets whiting or pollock, about 5 oz (140 g) each
- 1½ cups (120 g) butterhead or romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
- salt, milled pepper
Make the sauce: finely chop the capers and onion. Dice the gherkins. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, capers, gherkins, onion, parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Separate the eggs. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking soda, egg yolks, beer, salt, and pepper. Whisk the egg whites and fold them into the batter.
Heat the oil for frying to 340 ºF (170 ºC).
Cut the fish fillets into pieces if they are too long and use a fork to dip them into the batter. Lower them immediately into the hot oil and fry for 4–5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Cut the buns in half. Spread the sauce over the cut surfaces of the buns. Distribute the lettuce over the bases of each, then place the fried fish fillets on top. Close the buns and serve immediately, accompanied by fries.
PREPARATION: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME:10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
- 6 plain buns with sesame (see recipe)
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 carrots
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ bunch cilantro
- ¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise (see recipe)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) red curry paste
- 7 tbsp (100 ml) olive oil
- 48 medium raw peeled shrimp
- generous 1 tbsp (10 g) gingerroot powder
- 2 cups (200 g) napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage), washed and shredded
- salt, milled pepper
Peel the bell peppers and carrots, and slice them into thin strips.
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Rinse the cilantro and chop it coarsely.
In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise and half the curry paste.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the garlic over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the carrots and bell peppers and stir-fry over high heat for 3 minutes. Add the remaining curry paste and the gingerroot. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat, then add the cilantro and cabbage. Stir well.
Cut the buns in half. Spread the curry mayonnaise over the cut surfaces of each. Place an equal amount of the stir-fry mixture on the base of the buns, allowing 8 shrimp for each. Close the buns and serve immediately.
PREPARATION: 35 minutes
COOKING TIME: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
- 6 plain or poppy seed buns
(see recipe)
- 1½ lb (700 g) best-quality salmon fillet
- 12 quarters sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 6 sprigs cilantro
- 3½ oz (100 g) piece Parmesan
- 2 cups (500 ml) oil for frying
- 18 large basil leaves
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- 6 tbsp (90 g) béarnaise sauce (see recipe)
- salt, milled pepper
Preheat the broiler.
Cut the salmon fillet into 12 slices.
Coarsely chop the tomatoes. Remove the cilantro leaves from their stalks. Use a vegetable peeler to cut the Parmesan into shavings.
Heat the oil in a saucepan ready for deep-frying.
When the oil is very hot, add the cilantro and basil leaves and deep-fry for 20–30 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with a little salt.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet and fry the salmon fillets for
1 minute on each side. Season with salt and pepper, and keep hot.
Cut the buns in half and toast them lightly in the broiler.
Spread some béarnaise sauce on the base of each bun. Scatter the sun-dried tomato pieces on top and place 2 pieces of salmon on each bun. Sprinkle the Parmesan shavings and fried herbs over the salmon. Close the buns and serve immediately.
PREPARATION: 40 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
- 6 plain or squid ink buns
(see recipes)
- ⅓ cup (50 g) capers
- ⅓ cup (80 g) mayonnaise (see recipe)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice
- 1¼ lb (600 g) bluefin tuna
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- 7 tbsp (100 ml) sweet soy sauce
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1½ cups (120 g) iceberg or romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
- salt, milled pepper
Coarsely chop the capers. Mix them in a bowl with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Season the tuna fillet with salt and pepper. Heat half the olive oil in a skillet and fry the tuna over medium heat for
2 minutes on each side; it should remain pink on the inside. Add the soy sauce to the cooking juices and oil. Spoon the liquid over the fish, turn off the heat, and keep turning the fish in the sauce for 5 minutes. Allow to cool a little.
Seed the bell peppers and cut them into strips. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and fry the bell peppers over high heat for 2 minutes, to brown lightly.
Slice the tuna.
Cut the buns in half. Spread the caper mayonnaise over the cut surfaces. Distribute the lettuce over the base of each bun, followed by some of the fried bell peppers, and finally the tuna slices. Close the buns and serve immediately.
Serve these burgers with a side of coleslaw with golden raisins (see recipe).
PREPARATION: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
- 6 sun-dried tomato or plain buns (see recipes)
- 3 eggs
- salt
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 medium onions
- 12 sardines, canned in oil
- ⅔ cup (150 ml) olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 6 tbsp (90 g) black tapenade (olive paste)
Hard-cook the eggs by boiling them in salted water for
10 minutes. Plunge them into cold water. Peel and slice them into rounds.
Wash the tomatoes and slice them into rounds. Seed the bell pepper and cut it into very thin strips. Peel the onions and slice them into rings.
Drain the sardines.
Preheat the broiler.
Cut the buns in half. Brush the cut surfaces with olive oil and toast them lightly in the broiler.
Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut surfaces over the oiled surfaces of the base and top of each bun. Spread the tapenade over both cut surfaces of the buns.
Distribute the tomatoes, onions, and hard-cooked egg slices in layers on the base of each bun. Place 2 sardines on top, then some strips of bell pepper. Close the buns and serve immediately.
PREPARATION: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
- 6 plain or poppy seed buns (see recipe)
- 3 oz (80 g) piece Parmesan
- 1 bunch chives
- 4 red Belgian endives
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) cider vinegar
- 9 very fresh eggs
- 2 tbsp (30 g) crème fraîche or heavy sour cream
- salt, milled pepper
Use a vegetable peeler to cut the Parmesan into shavings. Wash the chives and snip them into very small pieces.
Discard the outer leaves of the Belgian endives and cut out and discard their hard, bitter hearts. Slice the endives finely and mix with the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a salad bowl.
Break the eggs into the upper part of a double boiler. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the eggs, whisking continuously with a balloon whisk for about 5 minutes, until they have scrambled. Stir in the crème fraîche or sour cream, and then the chives.
Cut the buns in half. Distribute the endive salad over the base of each and spoon the scrambled eggs on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan shavings. Close the buns and serve immediately.
PREPARATION: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
- 6 ciabatta rolls (available from your baker)
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- 12 pitted green olives
- 6 tbsp (50 g) pine nuts
- generous 1 lb (500 g) smoked mozzarella
- 6 tbsp (90 g) prepared pesto
- generous 1 cup (100 g) arugula, washed
- salt, milled pepper
Seed the bell peppers and cut them into thin strips. Peel and slice the onion.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and fry the onion for
5 minutes. Add the bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes, stirring at intervals.
Meanwhile, chop the olives. Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick skillet, with no oil, for 2–3 minutes.
When the bell peppers are tender, add the olives and pine nuts. Mix well.
Preheat the broiler.
Cut the mozzarella into 6 thick slices. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut the rolls in half and toast them lightly in the broiler.
Spread the pesto over the cut surfaces of the rolls. Distribute the arugula over the base of each roll, cover with a layer of the bell pepper mixture, and top with a mozzarella slice. Close the rolls and serve immediately.
— You could place the assembled burgers in a hot oven for 3–4 minutes, to melt the mozzarella more. —
PREPARATION: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6
- 6 plain buns with sesame
(see recipe)
- 2 oz (50 g) walnuts
- 3 oz (80 g) Colby or Cheshire cheese
- 2 carrots
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 bunch chives
- 6 tbsp (90 g) heavy sour cream or soft cream cheese
- 1 cup (100 g) fresh soybean sprouts
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) olive oil
- 6 tofu burgers
- salt, milled pepper
Crush the walnuts coarsely. Grate the cheese.
Peel the carrot and cut it into thin strips. Wash the zucchini and cut it into thin strips.
Chop the chives. Mix them with the sour cream or cream cheese in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Plunge the soybean sprouts into a saucepan of boiling, salted water to blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold, running water.
Heat 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the olive oil in a wok or skillet and stir-fry the carrot, zucchini, and soybean sprouts over high heat for 3–4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the remaining oil in another skillet and fry the tofu burgers for 2–3 minutes on each side. Keep hot.
Cut the buns in half. Spread the chive and sour-cream / cream-cheese mixture over the base of each. Place a layer of the vegetables on top, followed by a tofu burger. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Close the buns and serve immediately.
Serve these burgers with a side of rösti (see recipe).