Peppered burgers

If you’re making chips, start them the day before, or at least six hours ahead.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Peel the potatoes, trim them into rectangles and then cut them into neat batons as thick as your thumb.
3. Immediately parboil the batons in the salted water for 6 minutes, or until they are just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, but still holding their shape.
4. Drain in a colander for 30 minutes, spread on a tray and place them, uncovered, in the fridge to dry out for six hours or overnight.

To make the sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a pan until it is very hot, just to the point of smoking.
2. Cut a slit in the side of each tomato. Stand well back, throw in the tomatoes and cook over a high heat, tossing often, for 2 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered and beginning to catch in places.
3. Add the vinegar, sugar and spices, turn the heat right down and cook at a brisk bubble for 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick, glossy and reduced.
4. Stir the sauce often, and use a potato masher lightly to squash the tomatoes to release their juices.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you like a smooth tomato sauce, blitz the mixture in a liquidizer. Or leave it chunky.
6. Set aside to cool.
7.  
8. When you’re ready to start the burgers, heat up your oven grill, ready for toasting the rolls.

To make the burgers:

1. Heat a large ridged griddle pan for 4-5 minutes, or until it is blazing hot.
2. Lightly brush the griddle with sunflower oil.
3. Mix the Smoky BBQ Marinade with the lemon juice.
4. Place the patties, in two batches if necessary, on the hot griddle and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Flip them over and cook for another minute and a half.
5. Generously brush the tops and sides of the patties, using a pastry brush, with the BBQ marinade/lemon juice mixture, then flip them over again and cook for 45-60 seconds (watch them carefully, as the molasses in the marinade burns fast).
6. Coat the uppermost side with marinade, sprinkle generously with cracked black peppercorns, flip over once more and cook for 45-60 seconds (total cooking time is about 5 minutes; each patty is flipped three times).
7. In the meantime, cut the ciabatta rolls in half lengthways and toast them lightly under the oven grill until golden brown and heated through (or you can toast them on the wiped-clean griddle pan when you’ve done cooking the patties).

To assemble the burgers:

1. Place a few lettuce leaves on the toasted lower half of each ciabatta roll.
2. Place two hot patties, peppered side up, over the lettuce, and top with a few slices of smoked provolone and a dollop of tomato relish.
3. Place the upper half of the roll on top and serve immediately with chips and onion rings.

To make the onion rings:

1. Heat a litre of sunflower oil in a deep saucepan to about 170 ºC. If you don’t have a thermometer, put a small chunk of raw potato in the oil before you heat it. When the potato rises to the surface, fizzles vigorously and turns a rich golden colour, the oil is hot enough.
2. To make the onions, cut them into thick slices and separate the rings. Combine all the ingredients for the batter in a bowl and whisk well. The batter should be the consistency of thick cream: if it seems too thick, add a little more iced water.
3. Using a pair of tongs, dip the onion rings in the oil and fry for 3 minutes, or until puffed, golden, crisp and cooked right through.
4. Drain on kitchen paper and keep hot in the oven.

To make the chips:

1. Turn the heat up under the oil so the temperature reaches about 180 ºC.
2. Cook the chips, in batches, for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
3. Drain on a paper towel, season with salt and serve immediately.

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