Meatilicious: Low Carb Beef & Venison Dishes

Middle-Eastern-Style Eggplant Burger

We love burgers and I often make them – low-carb-style of course!
Who says a delicious burger should be enveloped in a bun?
Even pre-low-carb, I’ve always thought that a bad bun can ruin a good burger…
So – just skip it altogether and make this yummy eggplant burger:

We normally grill burgers over hot coals to give it that smoky, flame-grilled taste, but sometimes when I’m pressed for time, I just grill them on the stove in a cast-iron grill pan.

This is key – it really gives it that authentic burger flavour.
I also use the same pan / grill to cook all the elements, adding to the flavour.

Homemade burgers are quick and easy to make, the kids love it and they see it as a treat, plus it’s really cost-effective too.

[recipe title=”Middle-Eastern-Style Eggplant Burgers” makes=”8 thick patties” time=”1hr” difficulty=”easy”]

You will need:

1 kg beef mince {try to get top-side mince from your butcher, this has more fat and flavour}
1 cup finely grated Mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2-3 tbsp. chipotle seasoning
1-2 tsp salt
1 red onion, grated
1 tbsp. psyllium husk
finely chopped fresh herbs {any variety, I normally use coriander or sweet basil}
butter, 8 dice-sized blocks

To serve:

Grilled eggplant slices {grilled on a hot cast iron grill pan, drizzles with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt}
Tzatziki {double cream plain yoghurt + grated cucumber + salt & pepper + minced garlic + olive oil + lemon juice}
Grilled halloumi slices
Fresh cucumber ribbons
Corrado’s Melanzane Pesto
{This pesto is the game-changer!! It’s so freaking delicious I ate half the jar before it even saw the burgers!!! It has no sugar and only contains whole, pure, real ingredients and extra virgin olive oil. They sell at various local markets in Gauteng.}

Mix all the burger ingredients together, except for the butter.
You will need to use your hands here, to ensure that everything mixes well.

Let it stand for a few minutes, to allow the psyllium husk to bind the mixture.

Use a burger press or just your hands to shape 8 thick patties. {You could make them smaller too – up to you.}

Grill for a few minutes on each side until slightly charred. Because the burgers are quite thick, the inside will still be juicy.
{If you like your burgers well-done, please leave. Just kidding – just grill for a few extra minutes.}

Top each cooked patty with a dollop / block of butter and let it melt into the burger…

Serve on eggplant slices with a slice of halloumi, a smear of pesto, tzatziki and thinly ribboned cucumber.

[/recipe]