It’s time to bid adieu to sacrificing taste, as leading Aussie burger restaurants team up with Helga’s to launch delicious burger recipes featuring Helga’s new Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls. Helga’s has partnered with burger aficionados Chur Burger and Bar Luca, offering Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls recipes that are not only delectable but also easy to make at home. Indus age caught up with Head Chef, Sarah Robbins from Bar Luca, to share her top tips, burger recipes and more:

By Nidhi Kumari

What motivated you to collaborate with Helga’s to create a series of gourmet gluten free recipes?

I’ve been in this business a long time and I’ve seen how hard it can be for gluten free avoiders and coeliacs to find somewhere that they can enjoy a tasty burger. We want to make burgers accessible for everyone so we’ve teamed up with Helga’s to create a range of delicious gluten free burger recipes featuring their new Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls! The rolls taste just like real bread and are an awesome alternative for gluten-free eaters, giving people an authentic burger experience.

How has the response for Gluten Free burger options been so far in your restaurant?

The response has been great! A ‘Blame Canada Burger’ on a lettuce bun just isn’t the same, but when consumers can have it on a Helga’s Gluten Free Gourmet Roll they aren’t missing out on the true Bar Luca burger experience! They love it!

Have you done/ tried something like this before?

We tested so many gluten free rolls trying to find one to feature on our menu. The Helga’s Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls are the closest we have found to a true roll. They still have that real bread taste and texture without being dense like most gluten free rolls are. They’re so soft but still hold together.

Can we have some ‘Top tips for creating the perfect gluten free burger’?

Start with your mince. Try and grind your own mince if you can as it tastes so much better. If not, get your butcher to blend you a mix of chuck and brisket cuts with a 80:20 meat:fat ratio. Don’t add anything to your patty, it should just be mince!

Next is the buns! You want something that’s going to support your burger and hold all the ingredients, but not detract from the flavours that are happening inside. The new Helga’s Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls are great for this, and they can hold up the juiciest of ingredients.

Have a bit of fun experimenting with your cheeses. Try mixing a savoury cheese with a sweet sauce, for a whole new palette-tingling flavour!

Your message for the people who miss out on burger indulgence or sacrifice taste to meet their dietary requirements:

I think society, chefs and restaurants have become much more understanding of allergies and intolerances. There are so many options available, gluten free rolls, dairy free, grain free, vegan cheese, there’s even vegan “meat” patties being developed that still bleed. It’s incredible how much the industry has advanced. There’s really no reason anyone should miss out on having a burger cheat day!

Final comment:

I’ve really loved working with Helga’s Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls and encourage everyone to go and make our burger recipes at home using the rolls – it’s so easy!

Bar Luca burger recipes:

IN A PICKLE

BEEF BURGER WITH AMERICAN CHEESE, PICKLES AND MUSTARD MAYONNAISE

Serves: 4

Prep: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 480g course ground beef (chuck/brisket blend 80:20 beef to fat ratio) 120g per patty
• 8 slices American cheese
• 4 Helga’s Gluten Free Traditional White Rolls
• 8 leaves oak leaf lettuce
• 1 red onion
• 20g caster sugar
• Whole dill pickles
• 150ml whole egg mayonnaise
• 20ml American Mustard
• 20ml tomato sauce
• 15ml pickle juice
• Course ground Sea Salt

Method:

1. Place the beef in a bowl and gently use your fingers to loosen the meat. Using your hands or metal ring press the meat into four even sized patties. Place them in the fridge to set until needed
2. To make the burger sauce mix the mayonnaise, mustard, tomato sauce and pickle juice together and season to taste
3. Slice the pickles into thin strips lengthways and set aside
4. Slice the red onion into thin rings and place in a bowl, sprinkle the sugar onto the rings and toss to coat, set aside until required. The sugar will soften and gently pickle the onion, remove any liquid that develops before using
5. Heat a cast iron pan or grill over a medium-high heat, dip some paper towel in oil and use it to grease the pan/grill. Generously season one side of the patties and place salt side down onto the grill, then season the tops
6. Cook the patties for about 5minutes on one side, then flip and cook for a further 3minutes
7. Place two slices of cheese on each of the patties and continue to cook for a further minute
8. Remove the patties from the grill and allow them to rest while you prepare your buns
9. Split the Helga’s Traditional Gluten Free Traditional White Rolls and place them cut side down onto the grill to toast
10. Place a small amount of sauce on the bottom bun, transfer the patty to the bun, top with pickles, onions and lettuce and finish with some more sauce

LIL KIMCHI

ASIAN STYLE CHICKEN WITH CUCUMBER, SHALLOTS AND SESAME MAYONNAISE

Serves: 4

Prep time: 40minutes + 2 hours marinating time

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 Helga’s Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls Traditional White
• 4 80g chicken thighs
• 50ml mirin
• 50ml rice wine vinegar
• 50ml gluten free soy sauce
• 10g minced ginger
• 10g diced chilli
• 10g crushed garlic
• 150g potato starch
• 10g five spice
• 5g salt
• 5g pepper
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• 150g kimchi
• 1 cucumber
• ½ bunch shallots
• 200ml Japanese mayonnaise
• 20g toasted sesame seeds
• 10ml sesame oil

Method:

1. To marinate the chicken, place the soy, mirin, rice wine, chilli, ginger and garlic in a bowl, add chicken thigh and toss to coat. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours
2. To make the coating, place the potato starch, five spice, salt and pepper in a bowl & toss to combine. Set aside until needed
3. To make the sauce, mix the mayonnaise, sesame seeds and sesame oil and set aside until needed
4. Drain and roughly chop the kimchi and set aside, thinly slice the shallots on an angle and set aside. Slice the cucumber into thin strips using a vegetable peeler and set aside
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep saucepan to 160^oC
6. Coat the chicken in the potato starch mix and cook in batches until cooked (7-9 minutes). Drain on paper towel and keep warm until needed
7. Split and toast the Helga’s Gluten Free Gourmet Rolls Traditional White and place a small amount of kimchi on the bottom of each bun, top with two pieces of fried chicken, cucumber, shallots and sesame mayo.