We’ve declared October – BURGER MONTH – but not just plain-old-boring burger month. Nope! We’re talking interesting, wow-burger frenzy month! In fact, we are delirious over burgers this October!

It might be the warmer weather, which provides an easy excuse to light the braai in an effort to change up the early evening routine… or the simple fact that burgers are delightfully feel-good fare and enormously versatile no-matter your dietary space.

They are easy to prepare, meaning that the kids can get stuck in on the prep too. So, tuck in this October and find your favourite burger combo and side right here…

My Big Fat Greek Burger

If it’s Greek, it’s on this burger. Fabulously rich lamb mince packed with Cape Herb & Spice Mediterranean Roasts Rub; fried eggplant, tzatziki, hummus and feta! Now that’s what we call a burger frenzy.

What You Need

Burger Patties

750 g lamb mince
3 slightly heaped teaspoons of Cape Herb & Spice Mediterranean Roasts Rub
Finely grated zest of a lemon
A large handful of flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 slice white bread, blitzed in a food processor to make crumbs
1 large egg

Minted Tzatziki

Cup of low fat plain Greek yoghurt
½ tsp minced garlic
A handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
A pinch of salt & pepper

Fried Eggplant

1 large eggplant
2 Tbsp cake or bread flour

For Serving

4 burger buns
Hummus
Lettuce
Tomato, sliced
Red onion, finely sliced
Feta

How it’s Done

Mix all the tzatziki ingredients together and set aside so the flavours can develop.

Slice the eggplant very finely, place in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Allow to stand for 15 minutes to draw the water out.

In the meantime, mix all the burger pattie ingredients together, shape patties into balls and squash slightly (the thicker the better!) before frying in olive or vegetable oil until done to your liking. Remove and keep warm.

Pat dry the eggplant slices, dust with flour and shallow fry until golden.

Cut the burger buns in half, paint lightly with olive oil and grill cut-side down in a hot griddle pan to crisp up.

To assemble, give the burger buns a generous schmear of hummus, layer on the rest of the ingredients and top with a substantial drizzle of minted tzatziki.

This recipe makes four generous 200 g burger patties.

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Spiced Falafel Burger

Just because it’s vegetarian doesn’t mean it can’t be a burger frenzy and it certainly doesn’t mean it has to be bland. This take on a falafel burger really ups the taste ante thanks to a generous shake of Cape Herb & Spice Curry Originals Garam Masala blend. It contains cumin, the key spice essential in any halfway decent falafel. But then there’s also heady coriander, cloves, star anise and cardamom.

Freshness comes in the form of loads of chopped coriander, and a tahini yoghurt dressing rounds it off nicely. You could pop this falafel burger on a bun but we decided to continue our Middle Eastern/ Indian fusion flavour theme, and folded fluffy-warm naan bread around it. Delicious!

What You Need

Burger Patties

Half an onion
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, mince
A handful of coriander, finely chopped
A handful of flat leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
2 tsp Cape Herb & Spice Curry Originals Garam Masala Seasoning
Vegetable oil for frying

Tahini Yoghurt Sauce

½ cup low fat plain yoghurt
½ tsp tahini paste
Pinch of salt

For Serving

2 toasted burger buns or 2 warmed naan breads
Lettuce
Cucumber, cut into ribbons with a veggie peeler
Carrots, cut into ribbons with a veggie peeler
Finely sliced raddish

How it’s Done

Grate the onion on the finest side of a box grater and gently squeeze out the juice. Place all the burger ingredients into a food processor and run until it is thoroughly mixed and comes together in a tight paste. Shape burger patties. Hot tip: a shallow food ring is handy for shaping perfect burgers. To prevent your burger sticking to the ring and surface on which you shape it, simply paint the ring and board with a bit of vegetable oil.

Shallow fry the falafel burger patties over low heat until they’re cooked through, crisp and golden brown. Cook’s note: if the heat is too high, the burgers will brown outside, but still be cold and uncooked inside. There is no egg to bind this burger and it really isn’t necessary. Just try to turn them only once and they don’t break up during frying. Mix together all the tahini yoghurt sauce ingredients. Assemble your spiced falafel burger with loads of crunchy veggie toppings and… tuck in.

This recipe makes two very plump burger patties.

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Bunless Peri Peri Beef Burger

Of course, we have to cater for our Banting buddies this burger frenzy month, hence this bunless offering, which delivers on flavour without compromising on the carbs.

What You Need

Peri Peri Patties

500 g lean mince
1 egg
2 tsp crushed garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
½ onion, chopped
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Portugese Peri Peri Rub Seasoning (or more if desired)

Burger Toppings

Lettuce leaves, washed
Tomato, sliced
Red onion, sliced into rings
Avocado, sliced
Chipotle mayo dip (see recipe below or visit the Cape Herb & Spice blog page)

How it’s Done

Place the pattie ingredients in a bowl and mix together well (roll up your sleeves and get stuck in as hands are best). Roll the mince mixture into 6-8 balls and press down slightly. Heat your frying pan to medium and add a splash of oil before placing the patties in the pan and cooking for a few minutes on each side.

Select your lettuce leaf bases to fit the patties well and plate up. Then stack together your burger starting with the patty, topped with a generous drizzle of Chipotle mayo (full recipe below), and finished with the tomato, onion and avocado.

Add a little extra sauce if desired and finish off with another piece of crisp lettuce. Keep those napkins handy!

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Parmesan Truffle Fries with Chipotle Mayo Dip

Talk about the perfect burger frenzy side…can you handle this? True decadence with such ease – this fancy sounding accompaniment will most certainly your tastebuds please!

What You Need

Fries

4 potatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp truffle oil (add more or less depending on brand and blend)

Chipotle Mayo Dip

½ cup good quality store bought mayonnaise of choice
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp Cape Herb & Spice Spanish Paprika Single Spice
1 tsp crushed garlic
2-4 tsp Cape Herb & Spice Chipotle Chilli Seasoning
Dash of lemon juice

How it’s Done

Preheat oven to 220 ºC. Pour a healthy drizzle of olive oil into an ovenproof dish and place in the oven to heat the oil. Prepare the potatoes washing and cutting each potato into 8-12 wedges each (depending on desired size and thickness). Remove the dish from the oven (take care with oven gloves as it will be hot) and add the wedges to the heated oil.

Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat well. Place the dish back in the oven for approximately 30 minutes (flipping the potatoes after 15 minutes) or until cooked through.

In the meantime make the dip. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined and creamy.

When the potatoes are ready, remove from the oven and top with grated parmesan cheese, truffle oil and finely chopped parsley and serve with your Chipotle mayo dip, which can also be used to top your favourite burger.

Perfect on its own, or as the ultimate burger accompaniment.

Get more inspiration with these braai recipes using the  Cape Herb & Spice range. Hosting a dinner party? Get tasty recipes for a fuss-free evening.

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