DELICIOUS COOKERY

This towering burger, lobster mac ’n’ cheese and a decadent apple cake are just some of James Martin’s American treats

After visiting the Big Apple for my new TV series I felt I had to include my version of a classic New York cheeseburger, which has a Welsh rarebit topping.

Serves 6

For the rarebit

500g (1lb 2oz) grated Cheddar cheese

100ml (3½fl oz) bitter beer

1tsp Worcestershire sauce

1tsp Dijon mustard

A few drops of Tabasco

Sea salt and black pepper 4tbsp plain flour

1 medium egg yolk

For the burgers

500g (1lb 2oz) minced beef

2tbsp rapeseed oil

For the fries

1ltr vegetable oil

300g (10½oz) frozen French fries

25g (1oz) Parmesan cheese

To serve

6 brioche buns, halved

1 butterhead lettuce

1 red onion, sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced

2 gherkins, sliced

To make the rarebit, line a baking tray with clingfilm. Place the cheese in a saucepan, pour in the beer, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and Tabasco. Cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the cheese melts. Season, then stir in the flour and keep stirring until it thickens. Stir in the egg yolk then pour into the baking tray and leave to set.

For the burgers, put the meat into a bowl, season and shape into 6 rounds. Rub a little rapeseed oil over the sides of each. Heat a griddle pan. Fry for 2 minutes on each side. Preheat the grill. Cut the set rarebit into 6 squares. Place the burgers on another tray and top with a square of rarebit. Grill for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180°C or in a deep, heavy-based saucepan until a breadcrumb turns brown when dropped into it. Fry the chips for 4 minutes, drain on kitchen paper and season then transfer to a plate and grate Parmesan over the top.

Toast the brioche buns. Layer up the lettuce, onion and tomatoes. Top with a burger, gherkins and lid, and serve with the fries.