friday night food

Not just any burger, John Torode's ultimate burger, with a spicy tomato relish and all the trimmings

John Torode'S Big Burger

olive oil

tsp cumin

bay leaf

garlic cloves, crushed

shallots,

red chilli, chopped

celery stick, chopped

tomatoes,

oyster sauce

beef

gruyères (optional)

burger buns, warmed

butter

tbsp mayonnaise

squeezy mustard

beef tomato,

few cooked rashers streaky bacon

Little Gem lettuce leaves

few gherkins

John Torode's big burger

First make the relish: heat oil in a large frying pan and add the cumin. Let it cook for a moment, then throw in the bay, garlic, shallots and chilli. Cook for 2 mins until soft but not coloured, then add the celery and tomatoes. Sweat everything down gently for 20-30 mins until the tomatoes lose their shape. Remove from the heat, season and leave to cool. This can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge.

To make the burgers, mix the egg yolks in a large bowl with the oyster sauce and soaked breadcrumbs. Season with lots of fresh, black pepper then add the meat, breaking it up a little. Mix everything, trying not to overwork the mixture or the burger will become heavy.

Take the mix and divide in half, then into half and half again so you end up with 8 even pieces. Roll each one into a ball and place a 10 x 10cm square of greaseproof paper on the bottom and top. Put in the fridge for 15 mins to firm.

Heat a griddle pan. Take 4 burger balls from the fridge and push them down so they become discs about the size of a burger bun, about 2cm thick, between the 2 pieces of greaseproof. Peel the paper off one side and slap down in the pan with no oil or seasoning. Peel the top layer of paper off and cook on a very high heat for a couple of mins. In total, a burger this size will take about 5-10 mins to cook, but you need a bit of colour and texture, so exactly how long is up to you. I turn my burgers after 2 mins, but I cook on a very high heat, and I like them a little pink. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest, topping with the cheese slices, if you like, for the final few mins so they melt a little.

Lay the 2 halves of the warm bun in front of you and butter them lightly. Spread the mayo on both sides followed by a little mustard on the top bun and tomato relish on the bottom. Place a slice of tomato on the bottom bun followed by the first burger with the cheese, then some bacon, then the next burger, more relish, lettuce and finally the guacamole. Top with the bun and eat with the gherkins on the side.

Elevate a steak sandwich with a punchy, zingy chimichurri sauce, chipotle mayo and spicy Cajun-style fries on the side. It's perfect Friday night food

Chimichurri-style steak sarnies & cheat's spicy fries

rump steaks, fat removed

ciabatta rolls

rocket

sunflower oil

shop-bought frozen fries

Cajun spice mix

mayonnaise

tsp chipotle chilli paste

lime,

banana shallot,

red chilli, finely chopped

garlic clove, crushed

1½ tbsp sherry vinegar

parsley

coriander

extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oven to its highest setting. For the fries, pour the sunflower oil into a baking tray and put in the oven for 15 mins to get hot. Reduce the temperature to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Tip the fries into the oil, turn to coat, and cook for 20 mins. Add the Cajun spice mix and return to the oven for 15 mins until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, make the mayo by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.

For the chimichurri-style sauce, blitz all the ingredients together until you have a smooth sauce, then season to taste. Set aside.

Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Rub the steaks with salt only (pepper will catch and burn), put the steaks in the pan and cook for 3 mins on each side (for medium). Remove from the pan, cover with foil and leave to rest for 10 mins.

Halve the ciabatta rolls, toast in the same griddle pan that you cooked the steak in, cut-side down, and spread one half of each with the chipotle mayo. Slice the steak into strips, divide between the ciabattas, drizzle over the chimichurri and add a little rocket. Serve with the fries and any leftover mayo.

Sit back and tuck into a big bowl of pasta alla vodka, a creamy tomato pasta with – as you can guess – vodka, which balances out the intense flavours

Pasta alla vodka

banana shallot or ½ onion, finely chopped

¼ tsp chilli flakes

tomato purée

tbsp vodka

milliliters double cream

penne or rigatoni pasta

basil

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or casserole dish. Add the shallot and a large pinch of salt and gently fry over a low heat for 10 mins or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Stir through the tomato purée, cook for 2 mins, then stir through the vodka and cook for 3 mins. Quickly stir through the cream to combine, then remove from the heat.

Cook the pasta in salted water following pack instructions. Drain and reserve 150ml cooking water. Add roughly 50ml of the water to the tomato sauce, then tip in the pasta and cheese, tossing everything together over a low heat until well coated and glossy (loosen with a splash more of the cooking water if it’s a little dry). Season to taste, then serve with a sprinkling of the extra parmesan, a good grinding of black pepper and the basil leaves scattered over the top.

Take the aromatic flavours of a classic Mexican fajita and combine with pasta for this easy, vibrant meal. It's an ideal Friday night dinner

Fajita-style pasta

chicken breasts,

onion, thinly sliced

red pepper, deseeded and sliced

yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced

1⁄4 tsp chilli powder

sweet smoked paprika

oregano

tsp coriander

cumin

double cream

1⁄2 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole or frying pan. Add the chicken and fry for 5 mins over a medium heat until golden all over. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Put the onion and peppers in the same pan and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 mins. Add the garlic, dried herbs and spices and cook for 1 min. Add the tomato purée and cook for 2 mins. Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the cream, stirring to combine. Season to taste.

Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain and reserve 150ml of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan with 50ml of the water and stir everything together over the heat. Add a little more water to loosen if needed. Season to taste and stir through the parsley. Divide between six bowls and top with a little cheese and extra chopped parsley, if you like. This can be packed into a lunchbox and eaten cold, too.

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John Torode'S Big Burger

Chimichurri-style steak sarnies & c...

Pasta alla vodka

Fajita-style pasta

Fajita-style pasta

Top 5 friday night food recipes from across the web

The most viewed friday night food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

John Torode'S Big Burger

Chimichurri-style steak sarnies & c...

Pasta alla vodka

Fajita-style pasta

Fajita-style pasta

The most viewed friday night food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine