It’s not a proper barbecue without a burger. This is my porky twist on a beef classic, inspired by great French cooking with a heavy garlic seasoning and finished with the most classic of dressings, a gribiche. Burnt onions are added for a delicious smoky flavour.
Serves 4
For the burger mix
minced pork belly 800g
garlic 3 cloves, grated
cracked black pepper ½ tsp
flat-leaf parsley 2 tbsp, chopped
sage 1 tsp, chopped
dry breadcrumbs 40g
English mustard 1 tbsp
shallots 3, finely diced
salt 1 tsp
For the sauce gribiche
hard-boiled eggs 2, coarsely grated
dijon mustard 2 tbsp
red wine vinegar 1 tbsp
cornichons 1 tbsp, roughly chopped
superfine capers 1 tbsp
parsley 1 tbsp, chopped
chervil 1 tbsp, chopped
good extra virgin olive oil 150ml
For the burnt onions
vegetable oil 1 tbsp
butter 25g
onions 4, finely sliced
salt ½ tsp
To serve
sesame brioche buns 4, toasted
gem lettuce 1, broken down into leaves and washed
To make the pork burgers, combine the pork mince, garlic, cracked black pepper, both herbs, breadcrumbs, mustard, diced shallots and salt, then work the meat mix for a minute or so until it forms a large ball.
Divide into four, roll each into a burger shape and chill in the fridge for 2 hours or so, to firm up and let the flavour work into the meat.
For the gribiche dressing, place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and give a good stir, then pop it in the fridge until needed.
For the burnt onions, warm the vegetable oil in a large shallow frying pan until hot, then add the butter and heat till foaming. Next, add the onions and salt, stirring from time to time until they start to colour. Fry the onions till they are dark and glossy, adding a little more butter if required. When the onions look like they are beginning to char remove them from the heat and leave to cool.
When your barbecue is ready, lay on the burgers and cook for 4 minutes each side. Remove from the heat and rest for 3 minutes.
Lay each burger on the bottom half of a bun and add a large spoonful of the burnt onions, then a generous spoonful of the dressing and the gem leaves. Top off with the bun top and serve.
Tom Kerridge is chef-owner of the two-Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers
