Prepare these delicious cod burgers for an extravagant barbecue. Nathan Outlaw’s recipe proves that fish is a worthy substitute for beef and is equally enjoyable with a good dollop of homemade tomato ketchup
Ingredients
For the cod burgers:
• 1.5kg cod fillet, skinless and boneless, diced
• 4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 5 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 5 tbsp of basil, chopped
• 3 eggs
• 250g of breadcrumbs
• 10 burger buns
• 3 beef tomatoes, sliced
• 200g of rocket, washed
• 120ml of olive oil
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of black pepper
For the tomato ketchup:
• 1000g of tomatoes, washed and chopped
• 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 10 black peppercorns
• 2 tsp thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 50g of caster sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 150ml of red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
Method
1 For the tomato ketchup, place a large pan over a medium heat and add a tbsp of oil.
2 Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
3 Wrap the peppercorns up in muslin cloth, tie up firmly with cooking string.
4 Add the tomatoes, thyme, cinnamon, sugar, peppercorn bundle and bay leaves to the pan.
5 Cook for 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down and their liquid has been released.
6 Continue to cook until the tomato liquid has reduced and the tomatoes start to catch. Then, add the vinegar, turn up the heat and boil for 5 minutes.
7 Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender, removing the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and peppercorn bundle.
8 Blend the tomatoes until smooth and then pass through a sieve.
9 Transfer to a container and allow to cool. The ketchup will keep in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.
10 For the cod burgers, place a frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the shallots and garlic and sweat for 2 minutes.
11 Remove the mixture from the pan and allow to cool.
12 Blend the cod in a food processor for 1 minute – you may have to do this in 2 batches.
13 Scrape the fish into a mixing bowl and add the shallot mixture, parsley, basil, eggs and
breadcrumbs. Mix well and add seasoning.
14 At this stage it is good to fry off a little piece of the patty mix to use as a tester, then you can adjust the seasoning as you wish
15 Divide the mixture into 100g balls and then mould into patties.
16 Lay the patties out on a tray and refrigerate until required. When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.
17 Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once hot, fry the patties for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden all over.
18 Transfer the patties to a baking tray and cook through in the oven for 3 minutes.
19 Whilst they are cooking, slice your rolls and add a drizzle of olive oil followed by a slice or 2 of tomato and some rocket.
20 Remove the patties from the oven and arrange on top of the rocket. Top with some tomato ketchup and serve with some more rocket.
Recipe courtesy of Nathan Outlaw, originally published for Great British Chefs. See here for more.
