Recipe extract: Feed a Family of Six for Under $20

Fry patties until they are lightly browned and cooked through. Photo/Thinkstock

Bunless Burgers with Caramelised Onions

I serve my burgers with home-made hash browns (see below).

INGREDIENTS

1kg beef or lamb mince

2 cloves garlic

Handful of coriander, chives and spring onion, chopped

1 packet French onion soup

2 tbsp oil

1/2 cup grated cheese

2 onions, sliced

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup malt vinegar

6 eggs

METHOD

Accompaniments: tomato or barbecue sauce to serve, 1 beetroot, cooked and sliced, 1 carrot grated, 1 lettuce, 2 tomatoes, sliced 2 avocados sliced, mayonnaise to serve (optional). Set oven to 180C.

Mix mince, garlic, herbs and soup mix. Form patties.

Heat half the oil in a large pan and fry patties until lightly browned and cooked through.

Place on an oven tray, sprinkle cheese on top and then grill in oven.

Add onions to hot pan and fry lightly until soft. Add sugar and vinegar and simmer until sticky, brown and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While your onions are cooking, heat remaining oil in another large frying pan and fry eggs.

Assemble your 'burgers' by layering patties, onions and your chosen accompaniments, finishing with a fried egg on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

WHAT I SPENT Mince $9; garlic 15c; herbs 20c; soup mix 99c; oil 20c; cheese $1; onions 50c; sugar 20c; vinegar 50c; eggs $1.50; sauce 50c; beetroot 99c; carrot 20c; lettuce $1; tomatoes 50c; avocados $1.50; mayonnaise $1. TOTAL: $19.93

Hash Browns These are crispy, golden and so much better than any store-bought hash brown.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

8 potatoes, grated

1/2 onion, grated

5 tbsp oil

METHOD

Squeeze liquid out of grated potato.

Mix together potato and onion and season with salt and pepper. Form into patties of your desired shape and size.

Heat a pan with oil and place hash browns in. Leave for 3-4 minutes, until brown and crisp, then turn and cook the other side.

WHAT I SPENT Potatoes $1.50; onion 20C; oil 50C. TOTAL, $2.20

Reproduced with permission from Feed a Family of Six for under $20 by Jas McPhee.

Published by Penguin Group NZ, $19.99. Copyright text Jasmine McPhee, 2014. Copyright food images Vance McPhee, 2014. Available nationwide.