Everyday Exotic with Canada-based chef Roger Mooking is a recent addition to the Travel & Living Channel and it is fast becoming one of my favorites. A couple of weeks ago, Mooking grilled very large and very fat burgers and topped them with a cucumber and pepper relish meant to take the place of the usual onion and pickle slices. I was so smitten with the idea that I decided to make the relish. And the burgers.
This is not exactly the same as Mooking’s relish but is merely an adaptation.
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion
1 finger chili
1 red bell pepper
1/2 tsp. of coriander seeds
1 cucumber
salt
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsps. of sugar
a bunch of mint leaves (about 12 large ones), sliced
Instructions
Finely slice the finger chili, chop the bell pepper and onion.
Cut the cucumber in half vertically, then each half into quarters. Cut off the seeds because that’s the part that contains a lot of water and you don’t want the relish to turn soupy. Cut the cucumber strips into small cubes.
Heat the cooking oil. Add the coriander seeds and onion and cook gently, over medium heat, until the onion pieces are translucent.
Add the finger chili and bell pepper. Cook for a minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the cucumbers. Cook, uncovered, for about five minutes.
Season with salt, black pepper, lemon juice and sugar. Stir. Add the mint leaves. Stir. Turn off the heat and cool.
While the relish cools, grill the burgers and toast the buns. Serve the burgers topped with the cucumber and pepper relish.
Coming up next: Burgers with five spice powder.
Cooking time (duration): 15 minutes
Number of servings (yield): Makes enough for 6 to 8 burgers
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