Recipe: Venison Burger And Chips

An epic burger with some festive flavours... venison pattie, mulled wine inspired onion chutney and a few other bits from the christmas cheese board.
Ingredients
Burger
- 150 g smoked bacon
- 1 onion
- 1 star anise
- 1 clove of garlic
- 750 g minced venison
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
Mulled Wine Onions
- 2 red onions
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1 clove
- 1 star anise
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 150 ml port
Construction
- 4 brioche buns
- 100 g blue cheese
- 1 little gem lettuce
- 1 beef tomato
- 4 pickled onions
- 100 g pork liver pate
Chips
- 6 potatoes
- 1 l veg oil to fry
- 1 tsp smoked salt, to serve

Step 1
Make The Onion Chutney
Peel and slice the red onions, then begin to fry in the oil and butter for 5 minutes to soften, along with the cinnamon stick, clove and star anise. Strip some peel from the orange and add to the onions with the sugar and port. Bubble to reduce the wine and dissolve the sugar until sticky and jammy.

Step 2
Get The Chips Started
Heat a deep-fat fryer (or pan half filled with oil) to 140°C. Cut the potatoes into chunky chips (1cm across), leaving the skin on. Fry in vegetable oil for 4-5 minutes, then drain on kitchen paper and allow to cool.

Step 3
Make The Patties
Cut the bacon into tiny pieces and fry in a pan with a little olive oil until starting to turn a golden colour. Peel and finely dice the onion, then add to the bacon with the star anise to fry and sweat off (add a lid to help) for 5 minutes so the onions become soft. Mix the cooked bacon and onion into the venison mix and combine with all the other burger ingredients. Shape the meat into 4 chunky burgers that are well compressed and with a slight dimple (thumb print) in the middle.

Step 4
Cook The Burgers
Fry the burgers in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes on either side so the outside char and they cook through to the middle.

Step 5
Other Prep
Slice the brioche buns and toast cut side-down in a dry pan or cast iron griddle. Wash and slice the tomato and lettuce. Drain the pickled onions from their vinegar and slice thinly.

Step 6
Finish Chips
Turn the fryer up to 180°C and give the chips their second fry for 1-2 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper again and sprinkle with smoked salt.

Step 7
Construct
Spread pate onto the base of each toasted bun, top with tomato slice and lettuce. Sit a cooked burger on top, then a scattering of blue cheese before a dollop of the caramelised and cooled onions. Cap the burger off with the lid and serve with some chunky twice-fried chips.