Method

1. Sweat the onion and garlic in a frying pan with some oil until soft – around 2 minutes on a medium heat
2. Place the mixture in a large bowl and leave it for a short while to cool
3. Add the mince, sage and egg. Mix well and season with pepper
4. Shape the mixture into 4 thick burgers - use some flour on your hands to prevent the meat sticking. Place on a covered plate or in a sealable container
5. Keep cool in the fridge until ready to cook
6. Cook the burgers all the way through on the barbeque, turning regularly. This may take at least 25 minutes
7. Alternatively you could cook the burgers in a hot frying pan with some olive oil for at least 10 to 12 minutes each side
8. Barbeque meats must be cooked thoroughly to protect yourself and others from food poisoning. If you have a meat thermometer, take the burger off the heat and insert the thermometer in the thickest part. The burger is ready when the thermometer reaches 75 degrees.
9. If you don't have a meat thermometer, cut into the thickest part of the burger with a clean knife to ensure that it is piping hot all the way through, there is no pink meat left and the juices run clear.
10. While the burgers are cooking toast the burger buns on the barbeque or in a toaster
11. Rub the clove of garlic over the ‘inside’ of the bun to give it a garlic flavour. Place a slice of tomato on the garlic side of the burger bun and season with salt and pepper to taste
12. When cooked, serve the burger immediately in the prepared bun and garnish with a couple of slices of gherkin, a teaspoon of low-fat mayonnaise and some flat leaf parsley