Artisan ostrich burgers

With a similar richness and flavour of beef, but much leaner, ostrich meat has less fat and cholesterol than skinless chicken, while still providing high amounts of protein, iron and zinc. These burgers are a truly tasty and fun-to-eat experience, with some local SA flair and a gourmet twist!

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking olive oil

500g ostrich mince

1 onion, finely chopped ½ green pepper, finely chopped

3 tbsp chutney

1 tbsp ground coriander

6-7 tbsp breadcrumbs

(or more)

1 egg, beaten

A handful parsley, chopped 3 handfuls basil, chopped ½ tsp salt

A few turns of black pepper corns grinder

4 sesame-topped burger rolls, halved

4 thin slices of white cheddar/ Red Leicester cheese

Tabasco chipotle sauce

FOR THE BURGER SAUCE:

3tbsp thick & creamy mayo

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp Tabasco chipotle sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ of an iceberg lettuce

CARAMELIZED ONIONS:

2 tbsp cooking olive oil 3 onions, thinly and evenly sliced

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar/coconut nectar sugar

METHOD:

1. Start with the caramelised onions: Heat the cooking olive oil in a large deep-frying pan over a medium-heat. 2. Add the onions with a generous pinch of salt and cook slowly for around 30-40mins. Stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning until they become soft and a golden caramel colour. Burger: 3. Combine the onions and green pepper together and mix well. 4. Add the ostrich mince and mix well. 5. Add the coriander, chutney, crumbs, egg, the parsley and basil and mix well together. 6. Add the salt and ground black pepper. 7. Feel that the mixture is firm enough to hold its form while cooking, if not-add more crumbs to the mixture. 8. Separate the mixture into 4 balls, the press down into patties. Place on an oiled plate and chill in the fridge for at least 15 mins. 9. Back to onions in pan: Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar to the brown onions. Keep cooking on a low heat for another 5 mins, stirring occasionally until the mix is sticky, the sugar has dissolved and the vinegar has reduced. 10. Meanwhile, make the burger sauce by mixing all the burger sauce ingredients together, add the finely chopped lettuce and mix, then season to taste. Refrigerate until needed. 11. Your onions are now ready to serve, but set aside until needed. 12. Grab the burgers out of the fridge and a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat. Pat your burgers with B-well cooking olive oil then into the pan, pressing down with a slotted spatula. After 1 minute, flip the burgers and brush each cooked side with a ½ tsp of mustard and a dash of Tabasco. After another minute, flip onto the mustard side and brush against with mustard and Tabasco like before. 13. Add a tiny splash of water to the pan and place a heatproof bowl over the burgers to melt the cheese – 30 seconds is good. 14. At the same time, toast split buns in another pan until lightly golden. Assemble: 15. To build each burger, add a quarter of the burger sauce to the bun base, then top with a cheesy ostrich burger, a quarter of the caramelised onions, and gherkins. Rub the bun top with a teaspoon of ketchup, some avo slices then gently press together. 16. Serve up with your favourite side. Enjoy, devour and have fun!