- 500g potatoes
- 200g beetroot
- 150g halloumi
- 400g tin of green lentils
- A handful of mint, leaves only
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 orange
- 30g plain flour
- ½ x 200g crème fraîche
- ½ cucumber
- 1 lemon
- 50g lamb's lettuce
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Baking tray
- Food processor (optional)
- Large frying pan
- 1.
Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Scrub the potatoes and cut into chips the thickness of an index finger. Scatter the chips onto a large baking tray and pour over 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and toss to coat. Slide the chips into the oven and roast for 35-40 mins, turning halfway, till golden and crispy.
- 2.
While the chips cook, peel and coarsely grate the beetroot (beetroot likes to turn everything purple, so grate them onto a plate or a board you can wash up straight away. Protect your fingers with gloves and your clothes with an apron). Coarsely grate the halloumi. Drain and rinse the lentils. Pluck the mint leaves from their stems. Grate the zest from your orange. Scoop them all into a food processor (no food processor? See our tip below).
- 3.
Pop a large, dry frying pan on a medium heat and tip in the cumin seeds. Toast for 2 mins, shaking the pan occasionally, till the seeds smell aromatic and nutty. Add the cumin seeds to the food processor.
- 4.
Blitz the beetroot mix for a few mins till it starts to come together. Tip into a bowl. Stir the flour through the with a small pinch of salt and pepper.
- 5.
Scoop the mix into 6 balls and squeeze firmly, then flatten slightly, to make burger-shaped patties. Set aside for a few mins while you make the crème fraîche sauce.
- 6.
Spoon half the tub of crème fraîche into a bowl. Halve the cucumber widthways and set 1 half to one side. Halve the remaining cucumber chunk vertically and use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds. Slice the cucumber into thin half moons and add to the crème fraîche. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix and et aside.
- 7.
Pour 1 tbsp oil into the frying pan and warm to a medium heat. Add the beetroot burgers and fry for 4-5 mins on each side, till a golden crust forms on the outside and the burgers are cooked through.
- 8.
Pop the cooked burgers onto 2 warm plates and dollop on the cucumber crème fraîche. Serve with the chips on the side, along with a handful of lamb's lettuce leaves.
- Tip
No food processor, no problem
If you haven't got a food processor, finely grate the beetroot and halloumi. Finely chop the mint leaves. Mash the lentils till nearly smooth.Stir them together in a bowl, then beat in the rest of the burger ingredients. Follow the method, squeeze the mix together firmly to make the burgers.