Midweek meals: Five summer dinners the whole family will enjoy

And yes, we have included an Irish salad plate

Summer dinners that are quick, easy and delicious.

When the sun shines, make the most of it with dinners that take little time and effort, and can be enjoyed in the garden. I am a huge fan of picnic dinners during this time of year, when school is winding down and motivation for the daily grind of midweek meals at an all-time low. I often put a chicken in the over in the early afternoon and serve it with salad and bread rolls or soda bread at dinner time. I get bonus points every time if I manage to add a tray of stuffing to the mix.

Basic beef burgers

recipe by:Darina Allen

The secret of really good beef burgers is the quality of the mince, it doesn't need to be an expensive cut but it is essential to use freshly minced beef. A small percentage of fat in the mince will make the burgers sweet and juicy – between 20-25%

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 15g (½ oz) butter or extra virgin olive oil

• 75g (3oz) onion, finely chopped (optional)

• 450g (1lb) freshly minced beef — flank, chump, or shin would be perfect

• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• ½ teaspoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• olive oil

• To serve (optional):

• burger or brioche buns

• lettuce

• sliced ripe tomatoes

• sliced red onion

• crispy bacon

• avocado slices or a dollop of guacamole

• fried onions

• roast or piquillo peppers

• kimchi, pickled slaw or pickles

• spicy mayo, spicy tomato sauce,

• barbecue sauce, hot sauce, bacon jam or relish of your choice

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, toss in the onions, if using, cover and sweat over a low heat for 5-6 minutes until soft but not coloured. Set aside to get cold.

2. Meanwhile, mix the beef mince with the herbs and season with salt and pepper. Then add the cooled onions and mix well. Fry off a tiny bit of the mixture in the pan to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

3. With wet hands, shape the mixture into four burgers, or more depending on the size you require. Chill until needed.

4. Cook to your taste in a little oil in a medium-hot frying or barbecue, turning once. For rare, cook for 2 minutes on each side; for medium, 3 minutes; and for well done, 4 minutes. If you’re cooking the burgers in batches, make sure to wash and dry the pan between batches. Burgers can plump up in the centre while being cooked; to avoid this, make an indentation in the centre of each raw burger with your thumb. Serve with any of the serving suggestions above, or try one of the variations.
   
   Extracted from How to Cook: The 100 Essential Recipes Everyone Should Know by Darina Allen (Kyle)