Being a student sometimes bringing cooking to a back burner, I won't get into a post about the various levels of terrible junk I consume in the guise of 'diner' most evenings (maybe another post). But I found a selection of easy, under 30 minutes to whip up meals which I've enjoyed over the past few weeks.
The key to quick and easy meals is timing, multitasking and sometimes convenience food. Ok, so you going to grab that frost bitten veggie burger and pull a sesame seed bun out of the freezer, again. No big deal, take a few extra steps and it can really make the difference.
Tips for burgers from the freezer:
- Marinade or sauce it. Glaze your frozen patty in a thick, maybe sweet BBQ sauce, or Plum Sauce. Raid your condiment shelf for inspiration.
- Take the time to pre-heat the cast iron or use a grill. Sure, it's a frozen burger but it'll taste better grilled or seared properly.
- Toppings. Avoid the urge to squirt ketchup and call it a day. Mix it up with salsa, veggies, fruit (grilled pineapple!), chutney or some fancier pickles/sauces from the local market. Even adding lettuces/tomato gives you something fresh and a nice contrast to the chewy burger texture.
- Onions/Mushrooms. They fry up in minutes and can take the bruger experience to the next level.
- TOAST YOUR BUNS. If you spend time on nothing else, crisp the inside of that bun.
The little Darling featured below may appear simple with its no-name ketchup and mustard, but the secret lies in that big meaty chunk of purple heaven. A wide slice of onion, which I baked in the oven (directly on the rack) and then broiled just before the burger finished. Amazing.
Happy Mofo'ing!
