Caviar and Scottish Cold Smoked Salmon Venison Burger

 

Venison burger with Scottish smoked salmon and caviar

Venison burgers are a fabulous, healthier and tastier alternative to the vast majority of fast food or supermarket bought burgers. They can be bought from farm shops or farmers' markets around Scotland and beyond - or, of course, made at home. The venison burger featured in this recipe had been homemade at an earlier date from minced (ground) venison and 15% beef fat as part of a batch and frozen for later use. The cold smoked salmon is of course Scottish and the caviar is budget friendly, lumpfish caviar, available from a wide variety of High Street supermarkets in modern times - though the more expensive varieties could of course be used instead for a special treat or occasion!

Cook Time

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 15 min

Ready in: 20 min

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

• Scottish venison quarter pounder
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 brioche bun (or bun of choice)
• Small handful baby spinach
• 3 strips/slices cold smoked Scottish salmon, or as required
• Generous teaspoon horseradish sauce
• Large spoon lumpfish caviar (or caviar of choice)*

*NB - It is vitally important that you never use a metal spoon when serving caviar. It should always be a dedicated mother of pearl caviar spoon, or alternatively, a plastic spoon may be used instead. Metal quickly oxidises and spoils caviar and is an absolute no-no. 

Method

Pour a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil into a small, non-stick frying pan and bring it up to a medium heat. The time that your burger takes to cook will of course vary considerably depending on size. This fairly thick and substantial burger (fully defrosted in fridge overnight) took about 6 or 7 minutes each side on a medium heat, turned only once.

Spinach is laid on toasted brioche bun

When the burger is almost ready, cut the brioche bun in half and toast the cut sides only under your kitchen grill (broiler) until golden. Wash the spinach, shake dry and lay on the bottom half of the bun.

Take the cooked burger from the pan and sit on kitchen paper on a plate for a minute or so to drain the excess oil/fat.

Smoked salmon is added to burger assembly

Lay the smoked salmon slices, slightly overlapping, on top of the spinach.

Horseradish sauce is added to smoked salmon

Spoon the horseradish sauce on to the cold smoked salmon and carefully smooth it out with the back of the spoon.

Venison burger is added to bun assembly

Carefully lift the venison burger on to the smoked salmon and spinach bed.

Caviar is spooned on to venison burger

Spoon the caviar on to the venison burger and gently spread it around. Sit the top of the bun lightly in place and serve immediately.