TORELLO HOUSE BURGER WITH BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES

If you follow Instagram, check out the Torello Farm reel with Mark Brancatisano showing you how to prepare a burger with his Belted Galloway beef mince. Simple and tasty.

Season beef with salt, shape into patties, cook over a high heat, but only to rare. Add the trimmings of pickling flavours with Torello’s popular bread & butter zucchini pickles. Then using the pickling liquid, soak the beetroot and carrot while preparing the rest. Grilled halves of cipollini onions are sweet and the perfect size for a burger. Or grab a bunch of baby leeks, halve lengthways and cook the same as the onions, slowly. The tang of mashed warmed feta is a welcome change from melted cheddar. Add extras, like a fried egg to top it off.

serves 4

500g Torello Farm Belted Galloway mince beef

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ cup coarsely grated beetroot

¾ cup coarsely grated carrots (about 3 Torello organic carrots) 

½ cup Torello Farm bread & butter zucchini pickles and 2 tablespoons of pickle liquid

120g Main Ridge Dairy marinated feta

small handful dill leaves, chopped

⅓ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional))

4 cipollini onions, halved across-ways, skin removed, keep halves intact

2 handfuls butter lettuce leaves (or your lettuce of choice)

4 Millers Bread Kitchen milk buns, halved

Place mince in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using hands, mix mince to combine salt. Divide the mince evenly into four portions. Shape into round patties 1.5-2cm thick. Set aside to come to room temperature.

Meanwhile, transfer 2 tablespoons of bread & butter pickle liquid to a small bowl. Add the grated carrot and beetroot. Stir to combine and coat vegetables. Set aside for 10 minutes. Note: The beetroot will ‘bleed’ and colour the carrot purple. Alternatively, you can separate the carrot and beetroot in two bowls to ‘pickle’ - like in the photo.

Place the feta and dill in a small bowl. Mash with the back of a fork. In another bowl, stir the mustard and mayonnaise to mix well (use sriracha sauce instead of mustard, if preferred)

Heat a tablespoons of oil in a non-stick heavy based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Break 4 eggs into the frying pan and cook for 3 minutes for a soft yolk, or longer to cook to your liking. Transfer the eggs to a plate.

In a heavy based frying pan, over a medium-high heat add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion halves. Cook for 5 minutes each side until softened and golden brown. Transfer the onion to a plate and set aside. Increase heat to high and add a little oil. Add the burgers to frying pan. Cook for 2 minutes each side for rare. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to rest. 

Preheat oven grill to medium-high.

Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the cut side of four bun tops. Place the cheese covered bun tops and cut side of remaining bun bases under the preheated grill. Grill until the cheese has melted and lightly golden. Careful, the buns burn easily around edges. 

Spread the toasted base bun with a generous layer of mayonnaise. Top with a burger, followed by the fried egg, lettuce, beetroot and carrot and slices of zucchini pickle. Place the onion, over the cheese. Serve immediately. 

Fiona Hammond © December 2020