May 28th is National Hamburger Day in the USA and what perfect timing because burgers are surely South Africa’s, and probably the world’s, quintessential Friday night family favourite.
Whether you choose the steak ranch style with generous patties and all the trimmings or a new age smash-burger with gourmet toppings, be sure to top it off with avocado.
Chopped, sliced or mashed, avos are the easiest way to add the ultimate touch of luxury to any burger; and not forgetting all that tasty natural goodness.
Hamburgers have interestingly gained even more popularity during the pandemic, possibly due to the temporary closure of restaurants, leaving take-aways as the only option for a family treat. Making burgers at home also became a trend – convenient comfort food for the family to prepare together and an easy way to get creative in the kitchen by adding a multitude of flavours and nutrients.
The modern burger is healthier than ever before, shaking off its junk food label by featuring natural and fresh ingredients in its fills and frills. At the same time, limp lettuce and the obligatory slices of tomato and cheese have made way for much tastier toppings, such as blue, brie and goat’s cheese; chili and herb salsas; micro greens and sprouts; hummus, tapenade and fruit chutneys; and an array of grilled vegetables. And it goes without saying, fresh creamy avocados are at the top of the list of burger must-haves.
So go on, give your burgers a healthy, on-trend edge and add an avo!
MIGHTY AVO HAMBURGERS
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
For the avo meat patties
- 500 g lean beef mince
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) meat spice
- 1 large ripe avocado, mashed
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the burgers
- 4 sesame buns
- 2 large ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 4 cheese slices
- Fresh rocket or salad leaves
- Micro herbs to garnish
Method:
- Mix all the patty ingredients together lightly with a small fork, do not over mix or the patty will be tough. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. Shape into 4 patties.
- Brush the patties lightly on both sides with oil and cook them on a very hot cast iron griddle pan until nicely browned and cooked through. Use a large flat spatula to turn the patties.
- Slice the buns in half and toast the cut sides.
- To assemble, place lettuce on the bottom half of each bun, top with the meat patty, cheese slices, add the sliced avocado, a slice of tomato, and add the onion and garnish with micro herbs.
- Serve.
For further information and avo recipes, visit www.avocado.co.za, like us on Facebook iloveavocadoSA and follow us on Instagram iloveavossa
