4 tasty burger recipes from top celebrity chefs

• Preheat a grill or grill pan.
• Put ground beef in a bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together with your hands to combine.
• Take a small amount (about 2 tablespoons) of the ground beef and roll it in the palm of your hand like you are making meatballs.
• Flatten the top slightly and put the mini burger patties on a side plate. Drizzle burgers with oil and season the tops with salt and pepper. Turn burgers over and season the other side.
• Place burgers on the hot grill. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn them over with tongs.
• Put about 30g aged cheddar cheese on top of each burger, allowing it to melt.
• While that’s cooking, put brioche circles on the grill. Let them toast slightly on both sides, about 2 minutes total time.
• To put burgers together: Put toasted brioche circles on a platter. Top each with a small spoonful of the remoulade sauce.
• Put the burger on top (cheese side up), followed by an arugula leaf, a slice of tomato, and a slice of cornichon.
• Serve warm.

Two-cheese bacon burger with caramelized onion sauce by Rachel Ray

Serves: 4

• 1 tbsp olive oil (you’ll need more for drizzling)
• 3 tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 2 large or 3 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced
• Salt and finely ground black pepper
• ½ cup beef consomme or beef stock
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 slices meaty bacon
• 800g 80% lean ground beef
• Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 slices white American cheese
• 4 brioche or potato burger rolls, split
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Pickle relish or sliced sandwich-size pickles
• Leaf lettuce (or little gem leaves)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 375°C.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium.
• Add one tbsp butter and when it melts add the onions, season with salt and finely ground pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown.
• Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in the consomme or the beef stock. Allow it to cool and then mix in the sour cream.
• Meanwhile, arrange the bacon in a single layer on a slotted broiler pan or on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very crispy (about 30 minutes) Cut the bacon in half crosswise.
• In another medium bowl, season the beef with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Add in the Worcestershire sauce and mix.
• Form into 4 patties (thinner in the centre for even cooking).
• Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high. Drizzle the skillet with oil, add the patties and cook 7 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally.
• Top each patty with 1 slice each of Swiss and American cheese during the last minute or two of cooking
• Toast the buns under the broiler until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix the mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter; spread over the bun bottoms.
• Top each with relish or pickles, lettuce, a cheeseburger and 4 half-slices of crispy bacon so every bite gets an even amount of bacon.
• Slather the bun tops with onion sauce and set in place.
• Serve warm

California fried chicken sandwich by Gordon Ramsay

Serves: 4

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 50g wholemeal flour
• 200ml buttermilk (or 2 eggs, beaten)
• 150g puffed rice
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder or granules
• 4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 8 mini chicken breast fillets
• 4 wholemeal buns
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced
• ½ iceberg lettuce, shredded
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Mexican hot sauce such as Cholula (optional)

For the yoghurt dressing

• 75ml Greek yoghurt
• ½ garlic clove crushed
• 1 tsp cider vinegar

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
• Put the flour into a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Put the buttermilk into another bowl and add the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and dried sage. Mix well.
• Put the puffed rice into a third bowl and crush with your hands so that the pieces are broken down slightly but not powdered.
• Dip a piece of chicken into the flour so that it is completely covered. Remove and shake off any excess, then dip into the buttermilk. Allow any excess buttermilk to drip off, then put the chicken pieces into the puffed rice. Turn over to make sure they are completely coated, then place on a baking tray.
• Repeat the above step with the remaining chicken pieces.
• Put the tray into the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and cooked through, turning halfway through cooking.

• While you cook your burgers, prepare the dressing; mix together the yoghurt, crushed garlic and vinegar with a little salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar if needed.
• Slice open the buns and divide the avocado slices between them. Top with shredded iceberg lettuce.
• Once the chicken is cooked, place on top of the lettuce and spoon over dollops of the yoghurt dressing
• Drizzle hot sauce if desired.
• Close the buns and serve immediately.

Monster vegan burger by Jamie Oliver and Ellie Goulding

Serves: 4

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup frozen sweetcorn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup cannellini beans canned
• 1 small onion finely diced
• ½ bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 75g whole wheat or gluten-free flour
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• Coconut oil for frying
• 1 handful fresh arugula rocket
• 3-4 dill sprigs
• 1 handful baby spinach leaves fresh
• 2 pickled cucumbers sliced
• ½ lime juice only
• 4 large-good quality whole wheat or gluten-free buns

For the spiced vegan mayo

• 1 spring onion
• A pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ garlic clove
• ½ cup chickpeas canned
• 3 to 4 sundried tomatoes soaked for at least 30 mins into warm water
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon juice only
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the beet and sweet potato chips

• 1 beetroot, peeled
• 1 sweet potato, peeled
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• A pinch sea salt

Method:

• Place the frozen veggies into a bowl and set aside to defrost for about 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 190°C
• Transfer the defrosted veggies into the blender, together with the cannellini beans, onion, coriander, parsley, flour, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper, and pulse to obtain a rough paste.
• Add the sesame and sunflower seeds, and pulse again to incorporate.
• Shape the mixture into four burgers using your palms, cover with a plastic foil and freeze them for 10 minutes, then transfer into the refrigerator. (the last steps are important for keeping them firm).
• Cut the beet and sweet potato into thin slices using a mandolin and place them on a baking sheet.
• Drizzle with coconut oil and vinegar, season with salt and toss to coat evenly. (you can separate the sweet potato from the beet to avoid the pink colouring of the last one).
• Bake for 15 minutes until crispy, then remove and set aside to cool.
• Add the spring onions, garlic clove, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, dijon and lemon juice into the blender, and process to combine, then gradually add the olive oil until you obtain the mayonnaise consistency.
• Spray a cast-iron skillet with coconut oil, add the burgers and cook over low heat for 5 minutes on each side, until golden.
• In a medium bowl add the arugula, spinach and dill, drizzle with extra olive oil and lime juice, and mix to combine.
• Cut a burger bun into halves and toast them for a few minutes on a hot griddle pan or under the grill.
• Spread some mayonnaise on a burger bun base, add a vegan burger, top with another bit of mayonnaise, then layer 3-4 beet and sweet potato chips, a slice of pickled cucumber and fresh greens salad, close with the bun top.
• Serve warm.