RECIPE: Beef Burgers and Caramelised Onions.

Ingredients
Patties:

• 550g lean beef mince
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
• 2 tbsp barbecue sauce
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 2 tsp Dijon or mild mustard
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking.

Caramelised Onions:

• 2 large or 3 small red onions, peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 tsbp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

To serve: toasted or char-grilled buns or bread, sliced tomato, reduced fat cheese, beetroot and salad leaves.

Method:

1. Mix together the beef mince, garlic sauce, parsley and mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 round burgers.
2. Brush burgers with oil before cooking. Preheat the pan or barbeque grill to moderately hot before adding the burgers; they should sizzle when you place them on the heat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turn them once only.
3. Serve burgers on toasted buns, with lettuce, tomato slice, cheese, beetroot and top with caramelised onions.
4. To make caramelised onions, place all ingredients in a pan and cook over a moderately high heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, reduce heat to low and cook a further 5 minutes.

Serves 4
Tip: Burgers should always be thoroughly cooked; they should not be served rare or pink. A good guide is to insert a skewer into the thickest past; if it is ready to eat the juices will be clear.