This May, in celebration of Hamburger Day on the 28th and just because they believe in the beauty of burgers and Bordeaux, Leopard’s Leap set out to charm you with a sensational choice!
Take someone special
Sip and Slide
Join them at Leopard’s Leap for a grown-up Sip & Slide! During May, you can enjoy a delicious trio of gourmet mini burgers with their ultimate wine pairings from their Culinaria collection. A beef slider with the Bordeaux-inspired Culinaria Grand Vin, a chicken slider with the acclaimed Culinaria Chenin Blanc and a pulled pork slider with the Culinaria Pinot Noir. R210.
Gourmet Burger Recipes
Inspired by their culinary catharsis, Crush Magazine has developed four gourmet burger recipes for you to try at home. Here are three of them.
Beef Burger with Mushroom Ragù & Truffle Aioli
A rich, indulgent burger topped with creamy mushroom ragù and crispy shallots.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
Mushroom Ragù
Olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
200 g exotic mushrooms, sliced
200 g brown mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 thyme sprigs, picked
¼ C (60 ml) white wine
150 ml cream
2 Tbsp (30 ml) parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Truffle Aioli
2 egg yolks
2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 Tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1–2 tsp (5–10 ml) truffle oil
1 C (250 ml) vegetable oil
Crispy Shallots
3 shallots, finely sliced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 C (250 ml) flour
Oil, for frying
Burgers
4 good quality beef patties
4 brioche burger buns, sliced and buttered
Olive oil
Steakhouse cut fries, cooked according to the package instructions
Method
Mushroom Ragù
Heat oil in a pan over high heat and fry the mushrooms in batches until golden. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion until softened, then add garlic and thyme. Deglaze with wine and simmer briefly. Add cream and cook until slightly thickened, then return the mushrooms and finish with parsley.
Truffle Aioli
Blend the egg yolks, mustard, garlic and vinegar with a hand blender, or in a food processor. Slowly stream in the oils while blending until emulsified and thick. Season to taste.
Crispy Shallots
Heat oil in a deep-sided frying pan to frying temperature. Toss the shallots in seasoned flour, dusting off excess and then fry until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel.
Patties
Cook the patties in a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil for about 4 minutes per side for a medium finish, or adjust the cooking time to your preferred level of doneness. Alternatively, cook over a medium-heat braai for a smoky, charred flavour.
To Serve
Slice the buns and butter each side, then toast in a clean frying pan until golden. Add a dollop of truffle aioli to the base of each bun and top with a beef patty. Spoon over mushroom ragù, add a final drizzle of truffle aioli and finish with crispy shallots. Serve with steakhouse-cut fries and extra aioli on the side.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Burger
Crispy buttermilk chicken topped with smoky chipotle mayo, avo and corn salsa.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus marinating time)
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Ingredients
Buttermilk Marinade
4 chicken breasts, flattened
2 C (500 ml) buttermilk
1 tsp (5 ml) paprika
1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder
1 tsp (5 ml) onion powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Corn Salsa
2 corn on the cob
1 avocado, peeled and cubed
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
Small handful coriander, washed and chopped
Pickled Cucumber
1 small cucumber, shaved
½ C (125 ml) vinegar
½ C (125 ml) water
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
Chipotle Mayo
½ C (125 ml) mayonnaise
2 tsp (10 ml) chipotle spice mix (or paste)
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 small garlic clove, grated
Coating & Frying
1½ C (375 ml) flour
2 Tbsp (30 ml) cornflour
1 tsp (5 ml) paprika
1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder
Oil, for frying
To Serve
4 sesame seed burger buns, sliced and buttered
Method
Buttermilk Marinade
Combine all ingredients, add the chicken and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Corn Salsa
Boil the corn for 6 mins in salted water, then drain and pat dry. Char the corn over an open gas flame until slightly blackened. Slice off the kernels and combine with avocado, onion, lime juice and coriander. Season and mix gently.
Pickled Cucumber
Heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved. Pour over cucumber and set aside for 20–30 minutes.
Chipotle Mayo
Mix all ingredients until smooth and season to taste.
Coating & Frying
Combine the dry ingredients. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing the coating firmly onto the chicken. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep-sided frying pan over medium heat until it reaches frying temperature (about 170–180 °C). Fry the chicken in batches until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 74 °C.
To Serve
Slice the buns and butter each side, then toast in a clean frying pan until golden. Spread chipotle mayo onto the bun bases, top with fried chicken, corn salsa and pickles. Close and serve immediately.
Haloumi & Roast Vegetable Burger with Basil Pesto
A vibrant vegetarian burger layered with crispy haloumi, caramelised roast veg, and a herby yoghurt sauce.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
Roast Vegetables
Olive oil
2 red onions, cut into thin wedges
3 large courgettes, sliced into medium rounds
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 aubergine, cut into medium cubes
100 g baby tomatoes
2 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter
100 g feta cheese, finely crumbled
2 tsp (10 ml) parsley, finely chopped
Lemon Yoghurt Sauce
½ C (125 ml) yoghurt
½ C (125 ml) sour cream
¼ C (60 ml) mayonnaise
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp (5 ml) fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) fresh dill, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Burgers
4–8 haloumi patties (for single or double burgers)
4 whole wheat burger buns (or buns of choice)
4 Tbsp (60 ml) butter
To Serve
¼ C (60 ml) basil pesto
Fresh rocket
Fresh basil leaves, washed
Kettle crisps (optional)
Method
Roast Vegetables
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Arrange the onions, courgettes, peppers, aubergine, tomatoes, rosemary and thyme in a large roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season well and toss to coat. Roast for 20–30 minutes until tender and lightly caramelised. Remove from the oven and toss through the butter, parsley and feta.
Lemon Yoghurt Sauce
Combine the yoghurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, mint, dill and garlic in a bowl. Season to taste and mix until smooth.
Burgers
Pat the haloumi patties dry before frying. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the haloumi patties for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Slice the buns and butter each side, then toast in the same pan until golden.
To Serve
Spread lemon yoghurt sauce over the base of each bun followed by a haloumi patty, and a generous spoonful of roast vegetables. If adding a second patty, place on top of the veggies and add another spoonful of veggies on top. Finish with a drizzle of yoghurt dressing, followed by a drizzle of pesto. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil, if using, then close the burgers. Serve with kettle crisps.