BEEF SLIDERS

“Ideally, these beef patties are intended to be made ahead of time, like the night before, and cooked in the morning before assembling the sliders. Or make the complete burger the evening before to save time when packing the lunchbox.”

Serves 4

EASY

GREAT VALUE Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 6 minutes

For the beef patties: lean beef mince 250 g garlic 2 cloves, crushed fresh ginger 1 T grated flaked sea salt ½t canola oil 2T

For the sliders: mini slider buns 4, halved and buttered lettuce leaves a handful cherry or Rosa tomatoes

6, rinsed and sliced

English cucumber

¼, rinsed and thinly sliced

Serve with: carrot sticks, Cheddar cheese cubes, baby cucumbers, fruit of your choice, yoghurt and a bottle of water

1 Place the beef mince in a large bowl, with the garlic, ginger and salt, then mix until well combined. Divide into 4 portions and roll the mixture in your hands to form 4 equal-sized balls, then flatten slightly.

2 Heat half the oil in a non-stick pan over a high heat and cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on one side. Flip and cook for 2 minutes on the other side, or until cooked through. Transfer onto a clean plate. Add a little more oil to the pan and cook the remaining patties until done. 3 To assemble the burgers, toast the halved, buttered buns in a toaster. Top the buns with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber. 4 Top with a beef patty and cover with the top bun. Secure with a wooden skewer (if using) and place in the lunchbox. In another lunchbox compartment, place a handful of carrot sticks, baby cucumbers, Cheddar cheese cubes, fruit and yoghurt. And don’t forget the bottle of water!

SIBA’S SECRETS The quantity of the mince can easily make three large patties for a normal-sized burger. If you make large patties, remember to increase the cooking time to make sure that the burger is cooked. If you like, add Cheddar cheese slices, jalapeño, egg and bacon, too.