Fennel & Maple Chicken Patties

Ingredients

• 900 g chicken mince
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Black pepper
• 1 lemon, zest and juice

Method

1. Tip the chicken mince into a large bowl with the salt, fennel seeds, smoked paprika, crushed garlic, maple syrup, chilli flakes, olive oil and a generous grind of black pepper. Don't worry about toasting the spices separately here; they'll toast in the pan as the patties hit the oil, releasing that warm, smoky fragrance you're after.
2. Mix with your hands for about a minute, until the seasoning is evenly distributed and the mince feels slightly tacky. That tackiness is what holds the patties together; don't skip it.
3. Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Sit them on a tray and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to firm up; cold fat means they hold their shape when they hit the heat instead of slumping into the pan.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large stainless or cast-iron frying pan over medium heat until it shimmers. A properly hot pan is important; a cool pan steams the meat instead of browning it.
5. Working in three batches so you don't crowd the pan, add the balls and flatten each with the oiled base of a measuring cup or small saucepan to about 1.5cm thick. All at once and the pan crowds, water comes out, and you've boiled the patties instead of searing them.
6. Cook for around 5 minutes total, turning once halfway, until deeply golden on both sides and cooked through with no pink in the middle. The garlic in the mince will catch fast if the heat creeps too high; watch for the edges turning past pale gold toward dark, and drop the heat the moment they do.
7. Transfer to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining batches, adding a little more oil between rounds if the pan looks dry. Season before serving.
8. Serve the patties hot while their browned edges are still crisp.