The burger – assembly

A very serious business!

You'll need brioche buns – either lightly toasted or split and warmed in the oven.

For those who are watching their waistlines – really – or have suddenly decided not to eat bread the fashion is to serve the burger on a bed of lettuce – Little Gem lettuce cups would do nicely for this purpose.

Spread the relish – generously - on the base of the bun or spoon into the lettuce cups,

Place the burger on top of the relish, add a cheese slice, an onion ring or steeped sweet raw onion and add the “hat”.

I'd serve the burger with the Halloumi fries and a slaw.

You could use shop bought onion rings or, if you like the idea of a quick version of “pickled onions” I've mentioned in the past steeping onions in sweetened vinegar, here's a reminder :

225g/8oz demerara sugar

600ml/1 pint malt vinegar

15g/½oz pickling spice

or 1 pint of ready spiced pickling vinegar

Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar over a low heat, bring slowly to the boil and boil for a few seconds.

Leave to cool and then bottle in jars that have been sterilised - I use the dishwasher.

Slice an onion thinly and submerge it in the spiced vinegar. Leave it for a few hours or overnight – preferably not in your fridge – you'll taint everything.

Help with the raw slaw is coming next but whilst I think it would be perfect dressed with the recipe below which we used in the tandoori chicken tikka salad :

The dressing

4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil

1½ tbsps balsamic vinegar

1½ tsps brown sugar

¼ tsp coarse black pepper

¼ tsp cumin powder

pinch of salt

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and decant into a screw top jar – easier to shake when ready for use.

Ready for the slaw!