Delicious DIY recipes: Colin Fassnidge’s crispy fish burgers and Clarissa Feildel’s san choy bow

Colin Fassnidge’s Crispy Fish Burgers

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

TARTARE SAUCE

• 1 cup (250g) whole egg mayonnaise
• 50g baby capers, chopped
• 100g drained cornichons, chopped
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, stalks and leaves roughly chopped
• ½ bunch dill, roughly chopped
• ½ bunch tarragon, roughly chopped
• Juice and zest 1 lemon
• Sea salt and ground white pepper, to season

BATTER

• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 100g of corn flour
• 100g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g of tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda
• 2 cups ice-cold soda water (eg Schweppes)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
• 6 flathead, silver dory fillets or snapper fillets, cleaned

TO ASSEMBLE

• 1 medium fennel
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 6 butter lettuce leaves, washed
• 6 milk burger buns, split
• French fries, to serve

METHOD

1 Make tartare sauce, in a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate.

2 Preheat deep fryer to 170C.

3 In a large bowl, mix flours, paprika and bicarb. Add soda water, whisking continuously to remove any lumps. Batter should have the consistency of pouring cream.

4 Dust fish evenly in remaining flour. Working with one fillet at a time, dip fish into batter until completely coated. Carefully lower into hot oil and hold for 3 to 4 seconds before letting go. (This helps the fish to float and not stick to the bottom of the fryer).

5 Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, gently shaking pan to agitate the fish, or until the batter is crisp and fish is cooked. Remove to a large plate lined with paper towel.

6 To assemble, in a bowl combine the fennel, juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Top bun bases with lettuce, fish, tomato, fennel and sauce. Serve with fries.

TIPS: The key to getting the batter really crispy is the blend of flours and draining the fish well after frying.

Milk burger buns are available at most large supermarkets. Alternately brioche burger buns can be used.

Clarissa Feildel’s San Choy Bow

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Serves: 4 - 6

FILLING

• 3 – 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 Chinese Sausage (Lap Cheong), diced (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5cm piece ginger, finely grated
• 500g pork mince
• 6 small (4 large) fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms, sliced *
• 6 small wood ear mushrooms (optional), roughly chopped
• 6 whole water chestnuts, diced (optional) **
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine, optional)
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (for colour)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• Salt, to taste
• 4 green spring onions, finely sliced

TO ASSEMBLE

• 1 head of iceberg or butter lettuce
• Finely sliced birds eye chilli (optional)
• Extra sliced green spring onions, to garnish

METHOD

1 Prepare the lettuce cups, carefully separate lettuce leaves, keeping them intact. Rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, trim tops of the lettuce. Refrigerate. (Reserved tops can be finely sliced and scatter over top to serve).

2 To make filling, heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and stir-fry for 30 seconds, or until golden/crisp. Stir in garlic and ginger, taking care not to burn.

3 Add pork, breaking up with a spatula. Stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in mushrooms and water chestnuts. Stir fry for a further 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened.

4 Add wine and bring to the boil. Stir in sauces, sugar, oil and pepper. Heat through. Stir in white part of onion. Remove from heat and stir in green part of onion.

5 To assemble, spoon filling into lettuce cups. Garnish with extra onions and chilli. Serve immediately and enjoy!

TIPS: If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak in boiling water until plump. Squeeze out excess liquid, reserving some of the liquid for flavour.

To thicken sauce, combine 1 teaspoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon water and add with the sauces. Cans of water chestnuts can be purchased from most large supermarkets or Asian grocery stores. They add a delicious crunch.