Homemade Burger & Sweet Potato Chips

Time for a change this week - a savoury recipe. This is my ultimate burger recipe, a combination of all my favourite burger things but also a good foundation to start with and add your own favourite fillings.

You don't need any fancy tools, but the recipes include a few tricks I've learnt to help.

In case you were wondering, my ultimate burger starts with a toasted brioche bun, topped with one quarter pounder, burger sauce, grilled halloumi, cos lettuce, plum tomatoes and caramelised onion relish. Served with herby baked sweet potato chips and washed down with a Nutella milkshake.

Without further ado,

Brioche burger buns
(Recipe adapted from Rachel Khoo, makes 6 for burgers or 12 for sliders)

My personal favourite burger bun is brioche, below is the recipe I use. Regular shop bought buns of your choice are perfectly good also. Spread a little butter over the cut sides and grill before serving.

260g strong plain white flour
25g caster sugar
5g salt
2tsp dried instant milk
70ml warm milk
3 medium eggs
100g softened butter (cubed)

Egg wash:
1 egg, beaten
2tbsp milk
2tsp sesame seeds

Mix together the flour, sugar and salt with a dough hook in a mixer on a low speed. Continue to mix whilst slowly adding the yeast, milk and eggs until incorporated, approximately 2 minutes. Turn up to a medium speed and continue to mix for a further 5 minutes.

Once soft and elastic, tip into a greased bowl, cover with cling film and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour.

Dust your work surface and hands with flour, roll the proved dough into a long rectangle. Slice into 6 (or 12 for sliders), shape each individual bun and place on a large lined tray. Brush with the egg wash.

Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Brush once more and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack before using for your burgers.

Hamburger patties
(Recipe adapted from hamburger gourmet)

 In order to make the most tender, juicy patties, handle them as little as possible. Keep a bowl of warm water to hand when shaping the patties, dip your fingers in after each one to stop them sticking. A burger press can help to make uniformly sized patties, but using your hands is just as good. After shaping, press a thumbprint into the centre to allow for even cooking when they expand with the heat. Season with salt which will form a nice crust whilst cooking and stack them up between waxed discs or greaseproof paper. Don't be tempted to make your patties too thick, they'll only take longer to cook through and loose their tenderness. To make a quarter pounder, you will need 150-170g of minced beef (you should be able to get around 3 patties out of a regular 500g supermarket pack).

Always cook on a high heat in order to get a patty that's crusty on the outside and tender in the middle. Cook the thumbprint side down first to allow an expansion in the heat. Flip over with a spatula and press down, once only, in a short, sharp motion. For blue, cook for 2 minutes on each side; rare, 3 minutes; medium, 4 minutes and well done, 5 minutes.

Fillings

Feel free to use a combination of your favourite cheeses, sauces and relishes. Bear in mind, some cheeses melt better than others and most have completely different flavours when pairing with relishes.

Sweet potato chips

1 medium - large sweet potato per person
To season, dried herbs of your choice, salt and 1tbsp of oil per serving

Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into long 1cm chips. Place into a resealable sandwich bag. Add the seasoning, seal and shake the bag to give the chips a good even coat.

Spread the chips evenly onto a baking tray and bake for 30 - 40 minutes until golden and slightly crispy on the edges.

Nutella milkshake
(Makes 2, double up as required)

500ml milk
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
2-3tbsps Nutella

Place all ingredients in a blender and blitz until well combined and smooth.

Pour into glasses to serve.

Serving

In order to have everything ready at the same time, assembled burgers can be kept warm in the oven for a short while on a low heat, around 160 degrees.