This is the recipe for Sam Evans’ ultimate Welsh burger

Barry-based chef Sam Evans (from the BBC’s Sam and Shauna’s Big Cook Out) has partnered with M&S to create Wales’ Best Ever Burger – the Run Rarebit Run Burger.

Earlier this week, we announced that Sam Evans, has been awarded first runner up by M&S in a UK wide burger competition, for her creation ‘The Run Rarebit Run Burger’.

Sam’s ultimate burger has been inspired by the best flavours in Wales – this includes cheese from producers Hafod and Teifi.

We can now reveal the full recipe and method below, so you can create your very own ultimate Welsh burger.

Ingredients – makes 4x burgers 

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Method:

1. Start by making the bacon jam.  Take a small pan and toast the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. When they start to look toasty, smell fragrant and getting a little colour, transfer to a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and pound until they’re powder ground, then set aside.
2. Fry off your bacon in batches, to allow rashers to get crispy, about 8-10 mins on a medium heat. Transfer the bacon onto kitchen paper to absorb the excess fat.
3. Use 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat left in the frying pan to sauté the red onions and garlic for 10 – 12 minutes on a low to medium heat until softened. Add the dry spices and stir before adding the maple syrup, brown sugar, coffee and vinegar.  Keep stirring for a few minutes.
4. Remove the fat from the crispy bacon and chop the meat into small pieces. Add bacon meat to pan of onion, garlic and spices.  Simmer on a low temperature stirring every now and then for about 20-25 minutes until the mixture starts to reduce and thicken up.
5. Finally, transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse (being careful not to puree) until it looks like a spreadable consistency. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a week.
6. To make the Welsh Rarebit with Confit Leeks, cut the white part of the leek and the shallots into rings and run under a tap to clean. In a heavy bottomed pan, and on a low to medium heat, add in the leeks and shallots, seasoning and thyme sprigs and cook for around 25 minutes until very soft with a thick consistency, adding the butter at the end for richness.
7. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the mustard and plain flour. Add the oatmeal stout and Worcestershire sauce. Heat over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly to make sure there are no lumps.
8. Next add your cheeses.  Organic Hafod cheese will give you tons of rich aged cheddar flavour and the Teifi, which has a gooey Dutch-style cheese texture, will give the sauce structure. Add in 3tbl – 4tbls of your confit leeks. Stir vigorously over a low heat for a minute until the cheese has melted. Being careful not to overheat and to split the cheese.

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To Assemble:

1. These burgers are thick and juicy so we used our palms to press down the burgers a little to flatten, making a little dimple in the middle to help with even cooking. Generously season your burgers either side with sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper just before cooking, on either the BBQ or under the grill. Thoroughly cook your burgers according to packet instructions. Allow them to rest for 5 -10 minutes while you build your burger.
2. Toast your buns on both sides.  On the bottom half of the bun, add 2 tablespoons of bacon jam, followed by 3 pickles and a small handful of shredded iceberg.
3. Add your cooked burger patty, then top with 2-3 tablespoons of Welsh rarebit.  Close the bun lid and enjoy!