Moqueca Fish Burger Recipe

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">400g white fish fillets (cod, haddock or sea bass), skinless and boneless</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 red bell pepper, finely diced</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 medium onion, finely diced</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">3 garlic cloves, minced</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp fresh lime juice</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tbsp tomato paste</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">200ml coconut milk</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp dendê oil (palm oil, or substitute with coconut oil)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp paprika</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">½ tsp ground cumin</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">50g breadcrumbs</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 egg, beaten</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">Salt and pepper to taste</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">4 brioche burger buns</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the lime aioli: 120g mayonnaise</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tbsp lime zest</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tbsp lime juice</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 garlic clove, finely grated</li></ul>

<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">Food processor</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Baking sheet</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Instant-read thermometer</li></ul>

<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Preheat your oven to 180°C. Place the brioche buns on a baking sheet, ready to warm just before serving. Start by preparing the moqueca base: in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of dendê oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>Add the diced bell peppers and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for another 3 minutes until the peppers begin to soften. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly and becomes fragrant, which indicates the sugars are caramelizing and will add depth to your burgers.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Pour in half the coconut milk and add the paprika, cumin, and remaining dendê oil. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely - this is crucial for incorporating it into your fish mixture without cooking the fish prematurely.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>While the moqueca base cools, cut the fish into chunks and pulse gently in a food processor until coarsely minced but not puréed - you want some texture (about 4-5 pulses). Overprocessing will make your burgers gummy rather than flaky and tender.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>In a large bowl, combine the processed fish, cooled moqueca base (reserve about 4 tablespoons for topping), breadcrumbs, beaten egg, lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper. Gently fold together until just combined. Handling the mixture too much will make the burgers tough, so be gentle.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about 2cm thick. Place the formed patties on a plate lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This resting time allows the proteins to bind and the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture, preventing your burgers from falling apart during cooking.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>While the patties chill, make the lime aioli by combining all aioli ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use. The acidity of the lime will brighten and cut through the richness of the coconut in the burger.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the fish patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 63°C). Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, which would steam rather than sear your patties.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>While the patties are cooking, place the brioche buns in the preheated oven for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. The slight crispness of the bun will provide textural contrast and prevent it from becoming soggy from the juicy patty.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>Mix the reserved moqueca base with the remaining coconut milk in a small saucepan and heat gently to create a sauce. To assemble the burgers, spread lime aioli on both halves of the toasted brioche buns. Place a fish patty on the bottom half, drizzle with the warm moqueca sauce, and garnish with additional fresh cilantro leaves. Top with the remaining bun half and serve immediately while hot and fragrant.</li></ol>