Spicy Chicken Patties

As much as I love Annabel (Langbein that is, the Kiwi cook), I am not fully convinced about her recipes.  I have made a few of them in the past, and I seem to have some niggling doubts.  A chocolate cake that made too much batter for one pan, but not enough for two.  A quick blender mayo that just didn't turn out; maybe it was the Queensland humidity?

But I wanted to give her another go, so here I am trying her chicken patties recipe.  We will discover if it works out!  She always seems so friendly and warm on her shows. And how envious I am of her gorgeous cottage at Lake Wanaka, with her wonderful garden full of fresh produce.  Annabel, where's that dinner invitation?:=)  This recipe is from her book Simple Pleasures The Free Range Cook.  

Interestingly, the NZ tablespoon is the same as the US or UK one - i.e. 15 mLs rather than the Aussie one of 20 mLs.  I am often to be found searching out equivalent measurements for recipes as we have different measurements in Australia to just about any other country.  Are we contrary, or just deeply individual and quirky?    



ingredients:


1 kg. chicken mince

1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

3 spring onions, finely sliced

zest of 3 limes or lemons

90 mLs of sweet chilli sauce - i.e. 6 Kiwi tbs or 4.5 Aussie tbs

2 egg whites or one whole egg

1/2 cup of coconut cream

salt and black pepper to taste - I used 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1 level tsp smoked salt flakes, and about 15 grinds of pepper

1-2 tbs oil for frying - I used olive but you can use any oil you prefer




Method:


Place all the ingredients, except the oil for frying, into a large mixing bowl

Mix together (hands are best), and shape into 10-12 patties

Put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up

Heat up the oil in a frying pan or on the BBQ

Brown the patties on each side for a few minutes, squishing them down as you go, till the patties are about 1 cm. thick

Now you can keep cooking in the pan till they are done - i.e. firm to the touch in the middle (you don't want raw chicken).  This should take about 3 more minutes on each side

Or place them on a lined baking tray and throw them in the oven at 185C for 8 minutes

There will be excess liquid once they are baked, so tip it off and put the patties on a wire rack over a tray to catch the drips

Eat them in a burger or with savoury rice or however you please


Notes:

This is a very sloppy mixture; I donned my surgeon's gloves to form the patties

Annabel says this will make 8-10 patties; I didn't want huge ones so decided on a medium size

No fresh coriander was to be found so I used the lightly dried variety (I still used 1/4 cup 'cos we like the flavour)

ingredients

ready to mix

patties made and heading to the fridge for 30 mins. 

fry for a few mins. on each side

golden outsides

about to go into the oven after frying till golden  

draining off the excess liquid after baking

golden and delicious

Well, I have to say Annabel has come up trumps here.  These patties were very tasty and flavoursome; crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  Mr P. smothered his in sweet chilli sauce and yoghurt and declared them fabulous.  Phew!  I was worried there as I thought they might be too bland and watery.  Annabel doesn't mention putting them on a wire rack to drain, but I think it is essential.  We all know how wet chicken mince can be.  Give these a go, folks!

my limey doodle