Chicken Sliders!

I promised a few burger recipes as part of the "Burger Series". I've covered Chicken burgers, and Fillet O Fish, and here's a great one for Sliders! You could try this in Beef as well - good quality Beef!

You'll be surprised how easy these are to make. For 1 lb of ground chicken (leg and thigh piece) add 1/2 a packet of Onion Soup mix (you could use more of the packet but be careful adding the salt later). I use Roasted Garlic and Onion Soup mix from Lipton. Mix together with a couple tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce, 1/2 tablespoon Tabasco (optional - or to taste), and a dash of Salt.

Depending on your soup mix you may want to fry a small sample of the chicken mixture first to figure out how much salt you need to add. You could do the same before adding the Tabasco sauce if you're unsure about the spices!

Heat griddle (or any large flat frying pan) to med-high heat and add a few teaspoons of oil.  Sliders are basically mini cheese burgers, traditionally very thin and eaten as 3-4 sliders per serving. I make my sliders slightly different, much thicker than usual burgers, and I don't always fry them with onions - you could if you like.

I take a big chunk of meat in my hands, lay it out on the griddle, and use the spoon to shape it round enough to fit the mini buns. Flip over when one side is done. The middle part will be raw so cover it up as it cooks the second side and you'll have juicy thick burgers grilled to perfection!

For an original slider, fry some chopped onions on the griddle and place a thin burger patty on top of the onions. Cook till one side is done and flip over and cook till both sides are cooked through.

Slide on the burger to the buns straight from the griddle. Top with cheese and sauce of your choice (mayo, ranch, chipotle, etc.) and eat them fresh and hot!

Filet O Fish!

No need to go to a restaurant next time you crave a Filet O Fish. Its the simplest dish to make and ever so yummy!

Most restaurants use Cod or Haddock to make the fillets, but I prefer the texture and taste of Basa. Cut each fillet into half, wash and pat dry.

For the batter, mix together equal parts of white flour and corn starch,  and season with salt, pepper, chilli powder. For 8 halves (4 fillets) I use 3/4 cup white flour and corn starch each. The seasonings are to taste, around 1 tsp of salt will do the job. Also add 1 tsp baking powder and baking soda each.

Bring the dough together by adding 1 egg and some "cold" water till mixture is smooth and not too runny. Add a tbsp of lemon juice and give it another mix.

The fillets are deep fried so depending on what you use for frying, prepare the deep fryer or skillet so the oil is heated through at med - high. Dip each fillet in the batter and when coated well transfer into the hot oil.

Basa cooks fast so you will need to cook each side for around 3-4 minutes or till the outsides are golden brown and crisp.

Top the burger with your favorite toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese etc. I use tartar sauce instead of mayo.

For any left over batter I take some sliced red onions, dip them in and fry them for Onion Rings.

You could also cut strips of the fillet and fry the same way for a great snack for kids, or for adults serve the strips with Garlic Bread / Bruschetta.

Chicken Burgers!

My husband is a great critic of burgers and it took me a while to perfect a grilled chicken burger. This is the first in a series of burgers that I've made. You'll get more of Fillet-o-Fish, Chicken Sliders, and Mini Zingers in posts soon to come!

For 1 lb of ground chicken (leg and thigh pieces), I used half a bunch of chopped green onions, 2 tbspn bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves, 1 tsp fresh garlic and ginger paste, 1 egg white, 1 tbspn chopped fresh mint, salt, and 1 tsp dijon mustard (not regular mustard).

Mix everything together and leave to rest for 10 - 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the burger toppings and heat up the grill. I use a stove top girdle to grill the burgers.

Shape the meat into the desired patty size. Grill burgers on very lightly oiled skillet till each side is browned. Flip once and do not press on patty.

When burger is done place a slice of cheese on top of the patty till it melts just slightly.

Dress up the burger with your favorite toppings. I use italian style burger buns, with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and cucumbers. Instead of Mayo I use a sauce made by combining Peppercorn Ranch dressing with Chilli Garlic sauce.

Serve with fries, pasta salad, and grilled corn.