GOURMET BURGERS WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES( kuru domatesli burger)

YOU NEED

• 250 g lean steak mince
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 chillies, medium hot
• 6 sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp goats cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• pinch of cumin powder
• salt.

1) Place onion, garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor and pulse it couple of times. 

2) Add mince tomatoes,mince, cheese, parsley, salt and cumin powder and mix to  bind.

3) Take the burger mixture out of the processor and form into 2 large burgers.

4) Cook the burgers under hot grill or in a non stick pan until the both sides are browned and cooked to your taste.

5) Serve with salad, pitta bread or buns. 

NOT: I served mine with carrot, red cabbage, white turnip, celery, curly kale and parsley salad with lemon and olive oil dressing.

 Sun dried tomatoes in oil, in a jar  will be fine to use for this dish.

Makes 2 large or 4 small burgers.

SPICY MUSHROOMS with sumak ( Baharatli mantar )

This spicy mushroom dish is  great for lunch over toast with some salad or serve it as a side dish to accompany a main meal. This recipe serves 1, but the ingredients can be doubled to serve 2 or more.

YOU NEED

• 1 spring onion or 1 tbsp onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch of chili pepper
• 100 g button mushrooms
• 1 clove of garlic, diced finely
• 5 tbsp water or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, and mint, chopped finely
• salt to taste
• Sumak for sprinkling and lemon slices

1) First wipe the mushrooms and leave them whole. No need to wash them. Brown the onion in olive oil in a non stick frying pan.

2) Add cumin seeds, chili pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Stir and add the water. Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes or until all the juices absorbed. Add the fresh herbs and salt. Turn the heat off.

3) Sprinkle with pinch or two of sumak and squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

COOK'S NOTE : You can use pinch of dried herbs instead of 1 tbsp of fresh herbs. Also pinch of cumin powder to replace 1 tsp of cumin seeds, if the cumin seeds are not available.