These tasty chickpea veggie burgers are easy to make and brilliant for a family dinner. The burgers are freezer friendly so perfect for making ahead. They’re also vegan if you serve with dairy-free yoghurt coconut would work particularly well.

Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a food processor.

Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 100g/3½oz hummus
• 50g/2oz plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/2oz pine nuts or cashews

To serve

• 8 pitta breads
• mixed green salad
• 8 tbsp plain yoghurt (optional)
• 8 tsp chilli sauce

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry gently for 4-5 minutes or until softened, stirring regularly. Stir in the cumin and coriander and fry for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
2. Place in a food processor add half of the chickpeas and all of the hummus and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Blend to a rough paste.
3. Add the remaining chickpeas and the pine nuts. Pulse for a few seconds until the chickpeas and pine nuts have broken down but retain some texture. Season to taste.
4. Divide the chickpea mixture into 8 portions. Roll each into a ball flatten between your palms into a burger shape approximately 1.5cm/½in thick.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the burgers in batches and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden-brown and crisp on both sides and heated through.
6. Serve the burgers in pitta breads stuffed with salad leaves with a dollop of yoghurt and chilli sauce alongside.

Duck burger and chips

This is a burger like no other: a melting scoop of Vacherin cheese encased in minced duck meat and served in a brioche bun with girolle mushrooms. Delish.

Equipment and preparation: You will need a mincer for this recipe (alternatively, ask your butcher to mince the duck meat).

Ingredients

For the duck burger

• 2 large duck breasts
• 2 tbsp Vacherin cheese scooped from the middle
• 2 banana shallots peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 1 tbsp butter
• 250g/9oz girolle mushrooms cleaned
• 2 brioche buns

For the chips

• vegetable oil for deep frying
• 2 King Edward potatoes cleaned and chipped.

Method

1. For the duck burger roughly remove about two-thirds of the from each duck breast and then chop them into chunks and pass through a mincer. Season the meat well and form into two balls using your hands.
2. Take one ball of meat and push a scoop of Vacherin into the centre. Form the meat around the Vacherin and pat down a little to make a classic burger shape. Repeat with the remaining ball and scoop of cheese.
3. Preheat the oil in a deep fryer to 160C/325F (CAUTION: hot oil and: Do not leave unattended.)
4. Rinse the chipped potatoes under cold running water to remove any excess starch. Dry thoroughly on a clean tea towel and then place into the hot oil to cook for about 8-10 minutes. The chips should begin to lightly colour on the outside and be soft enough to crush between your fingers.
5. Carefully remove the chips from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Increase the oil temperature to 180C/350F.
6. In the meantime heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Once hot add the burgers and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until nicely cooked on each side and just cooked through in the middle. If you like your burger fully cooked through place in a hot oven for a few minutes to finish. Otherwise place the burgers on to a plate to rest.
7. Place the sliced shallots onto the hot griddle to caramelise. Cook for about two minutes.
8. Heat the butter in a separate pan over a high heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes or until just softened.
9. When you are ready to eat add the chips to the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
10. Serve the duck burgers with the shallots and mushrooms in a brioche bun.