Ostrich Burgers with Pineapple Salsa

Ostrich burgers with pineapple salsa and spicy stuffed baked potato

I came across these ostrich burgers quite unexpectedly a few nights back in my local supermarket and decided they were something I absolutely had to try. I have bought ostrich meat on several occasions previously and come up with a variety of recipes and serving suggestions but this was the first time I had seen these burgers. A quick pause for thought saw me decide to prepare a pineapple salsa as a serving accompaniment and a nice and spicy stuffed baked potato to plate alongside as the starch element of the dish.

Skewered and pierced potato

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1 medium to large baking potato
1 pineapple ring (canned in own juice), finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped red onion
2 small red chillies (seeded and finely diced)
1 garlic clove (peeled and grated)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of dried basil
Salt and pepper
2 ostrich burgers
Vegetable oil for frying
1 ounce (1/4 stick) butter

Potato wrapped in foil ready to be baked

Directions

Start your oven pre-heating to 220C/450F/Gas Mark 8.

The potato can be baked any way you choose but the way I like to bake a potato is by firstly inserting a metal skewer right through the middle lengthways. The heat conducted through the centre of the potato helps to make the inside extra soft and fluffy. The potato must also be pierced several times with the tines of a fork to prevent accumulating steam causing the skin to burst. I also like to wrap the potato loosely in foil to help protect the skin during cooking.

Sit the potato on a roasting tray and bake for an initial one and a quarter hours.

Pineapple salsa principal ingredients

Preparing the salsa as soon as the potato is in the oven allows the various flavours that little bit of extra time to infuse and makes for much better results at the time of service.

Pineapple salsa ingredients ready for combining

Put the pineapple, one of the chopped chillies, one teaspoon of the chopped red onion and the grated garlic clove in to a small stone or glass bowl. Season with salt, pepper and the dried basil. Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required.

Baked potato is cut in half

When the baking potato comes out of the oven it will of course be incredibly hot so great care, using oven gloves all the way through, is required for the next stage in the procedure.

Start by unwrapping and discarding the foil, being wary of escaping steam. The metal skewer should easily pull free from the softened flesh. Cut the potato in half lengthways with a very sharp knife.

Flesh is scooped out of baked potato halves

Use a teaspoon to carefully scoop the flesh from the centre outwards of the potato halves, leaving shells around half an inch thick. Put the scooped out flesh in to a small bowl.

Red onion and chilli are added to baked potato flesh

Add the butter to the potato flesh and mash well with a fork. Stir through the remaining red onion and red chilli, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Stuffed baked potato halves

Divide the mash combination between the two potato shells and return to the baking tray and the oven for fifteen more minutes.

Ostrich burgers

The cooking instructions for these ostrich burgers were detailed on the pack and such instructions should ideally be followed where provided.

Starting to fry ostrich burgers

The burgers were required to be shallow fried in a little oil over a low to medium heat for ten minutes. They should be turned frequently with a spatula.

Ostrich burgers and spicy stuffed baked potato halves

Plate the potato halves on opposite sides of a square plate and lay the burgers in between. Spoon the salsa on to the burgers and serve immediately.

Cutting in to spicy stuffed baked potato half