August 2011 - Fish burgers with lentil dip & cucumber yoghurt dressing

I have mentioned before, probably ad nauseam, that I am not overly keen on seafood. I do, however, know that it is good for me. I have also read recently that omega 3 is supposed to be very good for people with bipolar. So I have decided that I really do need to make an effort to get more fish in my diet. So have been starting slowly and incorporating it into my diet more. I hadn't exactly been going for gourmet fare with take away fish and chips and some of those crumbed frozen fish fillet things from the supermarket with vegetables. However it was fish and tasted fine to me.

Then the August issue of Delicious magazine came out with Michael Moore's Fish Burgers with Lentil Dip and Cucumber Yoghurt. The burgers looked so good. It was such a different combination of flavours that I really wanted to try it out. It was also a really big coincidence as I had just purchased his cook book Moore to Food. I had never heard of him before but that book is just incredible. So many amazing dishes in it. Very much a food for entertaining book and I can't wait to do some dishes out of it for my friends. In this issue of Delicious he talks of the new book just out called Blood Sugar full of recipes that he has come up with since being diagnosed with diabetes. I really enjoyed this. I think I will make these burgers regularly. I probably wouldn't bother to do the lentil dip all the time, although it was very good. I really loved the cucumber yoghurt, which I also used as a dressing for the tomato and avocado salad that I served with the burgers. I think I will do it as a dressing more often when the weather warms. Oh, and I found the perfect plate to serve this wonderful meal on at my wonderful local homewares store.

Fish burgers with lentil dip & cucumber yoghurt dressing

Ingredients: 

• 470 g skinless, boneless firm white fish fillets, roughly chopped, (chilled in freezer for 15 minutes)
• 2 egg whites 
• 2 tsp harissa paste (or to taste)
• 1/2 bunch coriander, stalks and leaves chopped (I used parsley) 
• Rolls and mixed leaves to serve

Method: 

• Place fish and harissa in a food processor and process. 
• Add egg whites, parsley and salt & pepper and then pulse to combine. 
• Form into 4 patties and chill in the fridge for 15 - 20 minutes. 
• Heat a fry-pan (non-stick) over a medium-high heat and cook patties for a few minutes each side or until browned and cooked through, be careful as it will not take long to cook. 
• Split rolls, spread with lentil dip, top with leaves, patty and top with cucumber yoghurt and serve with extra salad. 

Lentil Dip  

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1 tsp ground coriander 
• pinch ground fennel seeds 
• 400 g can brown lentils 
• 1 tsp brown sugar 
• 1/4 c water

Method: 

• Heat oil in pan over a low heat. 
• Add garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. 
• Add spices and cook until fragrant. 
• Add lentils, sugar and water and cook until thickened. 
• Place in processor and process until smooth. 

Cucumber Yoghurt 

Ingredients:

• 1 small cucumber, coarsely grated and moisture squeezed out
• 1 c non-fat natural yoghurt, (a thick one)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 bunch mint (I added some parsley too) 

Method: 

• Combine all ingredients and set aside for at least 20 - 30 minutes for flavours to combine.