These burgers are sweet and delicious. Belly or shoulder of pork is best here as you are generally guaranteed a decent amount of fat from those two cuts, and fat is essential for a good burger. If the meat you are using is too lean the burgers will be dry, hard and lacking in flavour. The other crucial point to remember for any kind of minced meat dish is that the mince needs to be really fresh, so minced on the same day you are going to cook and eat them. Minced meat deteriorates faster than any other prepared meat, hence freshness is paramount. Aromatic roast fennel seeds work beautifully here as they do with almost any cut of pork and the pistachio nuts add their own magical flavour and texture. I serve these with various different dishes. A plain mashed potato is good as is the courgette and marjoram mash. They also sit happily with a tomato stew or sauce. A Bramley apple sauce or the version with plums is also good. Cook the burgers fully: this is not the time for a rare burger.
Rory says, "These burgers are sweet and delicious. Belly or shoulder of pork is best here as you are generally guaranteed a decent amount of fat from those two cuts, and fat is essential for a good burger. If the meat you are using is too lean the burgers will be dry, hard and lacking in flavour."
"The other crucial point to remember for any kind of minced meat dish is that the mince needs to be really fresh, so minced on the same day you are going to cook and eat them. Minced meat deteriorates faster than any other prepared meat, hence freshness is paramount."
"Aromatic roast fennel seeds work beautifully here as they do with almost any cut of pork and the pistachio nuts add their own magical flavour and texture."
"I serve these with various different dishes. A plain mashed potato is good as is the courgette and marjoram mash. They also sit happily with a tomato stew or sauce. A Bramley apple sauce or the version with plums is also good. Cook the burgers fully: this is not the time for a rare burger."
Ingredients
- 700g minced streaky or shoulder of pork
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1-2 chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, roasted and ground
- 2 tblsp chopped coriander leaves
- 40g pistachio nuts, shells removed
- Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Belly or shoulder of pork with about 10% fat on and freshly minced is what you need for the burgers. If the mincing of the pork is a problem, I have quite successfully ground the pork to a mince-like consistency in a food processor. Use the pulse button to control the speed of the blade and don't process the meat too much or it will become too fine and more like sausage meat.
- Chose a moderately hot chilli such as an ancho or Serrano. I prefer the sweeter taste of a red chilli in this recipe.
- Pistachios, preferably the green ones which have the best flavour, are a luxurious little nut, therefore expensive, so try to use them while they are in good condition and still fresh tasting.
- Fennel seeds, like most spices, are best bought whole and roasted and ground as you need them.
- Mix all of the above ingredients together. Fry a teaspoon of the mixture to check seasoning. Adjust as necessary.
- Form the mixture into burgers, either 4 large or 8 small, and chill until ready to cook.
- Heat a heavy grill pan until quite hot. Grease the burgers lightly with olive oil and place on the hot grill to cook. Allow to become golden brown on one side before turning.
- Control the heat carefully and cook the burgers, turning occasionally until fully cooked through. This takes about 15 minutes and the burgers will feel firm to the touch.
- Serve the burgers on hot plates with your sauce and vegetable of choice.
- Good With:
- Bramley Apple and Plum Sauce
- Winter Salad of Organic Greens
- Mashed Potatoes or Summer Courgette, Olive Oil, Potato and Marjoram Mash
- Tomato and Coriander Sauce
