American Sliders and Fries

OK So this is what we in the UK would call Burgers and Chips! But as I'm in America I have to do the right thing and go with the flow - they are called sliders because they are essentially mini burgers.

We did these yesterday in honour of the 43rd Superbowl (American Football!)

Will make 8 sliders/burgers

Ingredients:

Burgers:
1 lb minced Beef Salt and Pepper

Additional fillings:
Red Onion Cheese slices Tomato Crispy bacon
Lettuce

Servced with corn on the cob and chips

1. Add some salt and pepper to the minced beef and blend in with your hands, then take a small handfull and shape into curcular patties and place to one side.
2. Heat a frying pan with a little oil and place the meat patties in to cook for about 6-7 minutes on each side until the look done to your liking.
3. Slice some tomato, onion, lettuce and other fillings to your liking, Pat uses pickled gherkin which I personally think is just nasty!
4. Boil some water and drop the corn in for about 6 minutes
5. Put the fries (chips) into a hot oven as per the instructions on the packet - we cheated and bought oven chips! They are a little better for you anyway :)
6. Serve with burger relish - or if you are me - mayonaise and tomato ketchup.

Beef stew & dumplings

Serves 5 people

Ingredients

Stew

2 large onions

1 medium swede

1 pack of celery

4 medium leeks

Carrots

4 bay leaves

2 cubes of beef stock

Salt & Pepper

2 lbs of stewing or braising steak

Dumplings

4oz self raising flour

2oz suet

pinch of salt

cold water, approx, 5 tablespoons

1. Tenderise the meat. Cut the meat into small size cubes, about an inch thick, place in frying pan
2. Peel and chop onions into medium size chunks and place into frying pan
3. Cook on a high heat until meat is browned
4. Add the meat to a large stock pot, add the bay leaves, good pinch of salt and pepper, stock cubes and cover with hot water
5. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for 3 hours. Keep stirring and if water level drops, add more hot water
6. Chop the leeks, carrots, celery and swede into cm cubes and add to the stock pot, add more hot water to cover, bring back to the boil, then simmer for 25/30 minutes
7. Now make the dumplings. Add all the dumpling ingredients together, divide into 8 balls, then place on top of the stew for 20/25 minutes
8. You can thicken the stock with cornflour before serving, if you like

Stew can be served in a bowl served with crusty bread, or with mash potato, the choice is yours.