Julie Biuso's Big Burger

The best way to serve burgers is to put all the ingredients on the table and let everyone assemble their own just as they like it.

(Makes 4)

Ingredients

• 4 burger buns, split in half

Burger patties

• 1 tsp tomato concentrate
• 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large gherkin, chopped
• 1 egg
• 500g prime minced beef
• 1/2 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
• olive oil

Fillings

• iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 gherkins, sliced
• 2-3 small canned beetroot, patted dry and sliced, optional
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced, optional
• butter or mayonnaise
• tomato ketchup
• chutney of your choice

Method

1. In a large bowl mix together tomato concentrate, ketchup, onion, parsley, 1 teaspoon of salt, plenty of black pepper, gherkin and egg, then beat in the minced meat and breadcrumbs.

2. Shape mixture into four patties, slightly larger than the buns. Stack patties, each separated by a layer of plastic food wrap, in a container and refrigerate until ready to cook.

3. Assemble salad filling ingredients. Cook patties over a medium heat on an oiled barbecue hot plate until browned and cooked through. 

4. Toast buns and spread with butter or mayonnaise. Put some lettuce on each bun and top with a patty. Dribble on a little ketchup or spoon on some chutney, scatter over cheese and add a few slices of tomato, gherkin, beetroot and hard-boiled egg. Serve immediately.