Meat lovers burger

A must-have on Australia Day, this burger has all the Aussie essentials - cheddar, onion, beetroot and tomato sauce. Happy Australia Day!

Preparation Time 30 - 60 minutes
Cooking Time 25 minutes
Makes 1

Ingredients
* 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 hamburger bun, split
* 2 slices cheddar
* 1 small ripe tomato, thickly sliced
* Tomato sauce
* 1 butter lettuce leaf, washed, dried
* 2 slices canned beetroot, drained
Beef patty
* 125g beef mince
* 1/2 small red onion, coarsely grated
* 1 1/2 tbs fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
* 1 egg white, lightly whisked
* 1 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley
* 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
* 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard


Method
1. To make the beef patty, place the mince, onion, breadcrumbs, egg white, parsley, Worcestershire sauce and mustard in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix until well combined.
2. Shape the mince mixture into a 2cm-thick, 10cm-diameter patty. Place on a plate. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
3. Place the onion and half the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 15 minutes or until light golden and tender.
4. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in small non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef patty and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 4 minutes each side or until just cooked through.
5. Preheat grill on high. Place the bun, cut-side up, on a baking tray and cook under grill for 2 minutes or until toasted.
6. Remove the bun from the tray. Place the beef patty on the tray and top with the cheddar. Cook under grill for 2-3 minutes or until the cheddar melts. Place the bun base on a serving plate. Top with tomato, beef patty, tomato sauce, lettuce, beetroot and onion. Top with the remaining bun. Serve immediately.

Notes & tips
* Freezing tip: At the end of step 2, place the patty or patties between sheets of plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months.
* Time plan tip: Prepare to end of step 3 up to 1 day ahead. Store the onion in an airtight container in the fridge. Twenty minutes before serving, reheat the onion in a small saucepan over low heat and continue from step 4.
* Burger-night tip: To make extra burgers, simply multiply the quantity of each ingredient by the number of burgers you want, then follow the steps above.

Source
Australian Good Taste - Page 63
Recipe by Anneka Manning