Every week at the supermarket I pick up a packet of mince. It's so versatile. Whether it's pork, beef, chicken or even turkey you can whip up stacks of simple staples with that good old 500g packet of minced meat.

You also freeze it right in the plastic pack and then defrost it (as you can with any meats) using your Steam setting on 30°C for around 15 minutes. Be sure to whip off any plastic wrap that is covering the meat to allow the Steam to get in and do it's work.

Throwing some mince together with some veggies and herbs is a great way to use up those odds and ends that we inevitably all find ourselves with, in the fridge, at the end of the week, regardless of how well we plan the shopping and meals. This recipe takes advantage of that idea by throwing together a few fridge staples to come up with something delicious. They're also pretty nutritious but more importantly (well to me anyway) they taste delicious. We just gobbled them up straight from the oven as they were...dolloped with a quick spicy mayo and dripped with some lemon juice but you could serve them with a nice carrot & sweet potato mash or just your standard potato mash. They would also be lovely popped into a bun with some salad to make burgers or even wrapped in a pitta bread. Equally you could pop them cold into lunch boxes as a switch up from the usual sanger or alongside a salad for a more mature lunch. Honestly the possibilities are pretty much only limited by your creative culinary brain power!

You can whip them up in a flash...so get to it my loyal ones!

Mediterranean Chicken & Zucchini Patties
makes 8 ish

Ingredients:

500g pkt chicken breast mince
75g feta (crumbled)
4 sun dried tomatoes (very finely chopped)
6 black olives (pitted and very finely chopped)
1 medium zucchini (coarsely grated)
zest of 1 lemon
2-3 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
good pinch each of S&P
4 Salada crackers or 12 Jatz/Savoys
olive oil spray or bottle and brush

Method:

1. Select your Combination/Hot Air+Steaming function on your CombiSteam. Set the temp to 230°C. (For variable steam setting select 30% if required) Allow to pre-heat.

2. Place the crackers in a sandwich size ziplock bag, push out the air and seal. Bash with a rolling pin or the back of a wooden spoon until crushed. Place the crackers with all other ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix until very well combined and a little sticky.

3. Line an oven tray with baking paper.

4. Use damp hands to shape the mixture into 8 small patties about 2cm thick.

5. Lay the patties onto the lined tray leaving space between each one. Spray or brush the patties with a little olive oil.

6. Place the tray into the oven. Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Squeeze over the lemon juice and serve alongside some whole egg mayonnaise or sour cream mixed with a little chilli sauce.

Tips:
*If you find the patties have too much moisture around them at the end of the cooking time you can turn off the Steam and continue cooking for a few more minutes. 

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Happy Combi Steaming!

Yours in the kitchen,
The CSQ x