Easy and delicious, these burgers are summer on a plate
This garlic prawn burger is embodies the mood of summer when the days are warm, cooking is a joy and eating always a pleasure.
Over the summer break I found myself reflecting on the kind of food that feels right for this time of year. It’s a season that calls for slowing down, embracing simplicity, and cooking without pressure. There’s a blurring of the usual rhythms of eating; no need to stick to set times, just eat when the moment and desire feels right.
The dishes I’ve been cooking and craving are casual, uncomplicated and a little playful – meals that fit the long, warm days, where cooking is a joy and eating always a pleasure.
This garlic prawn burger is one of those recipes that embodies the mood of the season. It was one of the first recipes I created when I was 21, working on my first cookbook. Now, 17 summers later, it’s reassuring to me to know that my passion for creating and sharing the food I love has always been there. This recipe remains a summer favourite – untouched in essence, but refined over time, like an old friend you know well yet still appreciate anew.
The recipe is straightforward: minced prawns brightened with garlic, lemon zest, parsley and capers, formed into patties, coated in panko breadcrumbs and fried until crisp and golden. They are then tucked into soft buns with oak lettuce and a punchy wasabi mayo. It’s fresh, light, and indulgent all at once – the perfect burger, without the heaviness. As always, we love an option – you could make the patties smaller and serve them canapé-style at a summer party with wasabi mayo to dip, or skip the bun entirely and serve them alongside a salad for something a little lighter.
COMPLEMENT THESE WITH MY TANGY SALT AND VINEGAR HOMEMADE CHIPS.
Prawn burgers
Ingredients
- 600g raw prawn meat
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (about ½ bunch)
- 50g (¼ cup when packed) baby capers in vinegar, drained
- 150g panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon wasabi
- ½ cup whole-egg mayonnaise
- Grapeseed oil or peanut oil, for cooking
- 8 soft white buns
- ½ buttercup or oak lettuce
Method
- Use a sharp knife to finely chop the prawns, then run the knife back over the mixture, mincing it until it becomes sticky. Place the prawn meat in a bowl and stir through the garlic, lemon zest, parsley and capers. Using wet hands, shape the mixture into eight patties about 8cm wide and 2cm high. Arrange them on a plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up – this helps the patties hold their shape when cooked.
- For the wasabi mayo, whisk together wasabi, mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust to your liking. Set aside.
- When you’re ready to cook, gently press each patty into the panko breadcrumbs, giving them a good pat to help the crumbs stick. Heat a thin layer of oil (about 2mm deep) in a large frying pan over medium heat. To check if the oil is hot enough, drop in a breadcrumb; it should sizzle. Cook the patties in batches, two at a time, for 3 minutes on one side until golden, then carefully flip and cook for another 3 minutes or until cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm in a low oven if needed. To assemble, spread a thick layer of wasabi mayo on each bun, add a few lettuce leaves and top with a prawn patty. Add an extra dollop of mayo if you like and serve immediately.
- Makes 8 patties