The World Cup is a serious business requiring preparation, planning, co-ordination and split second timing - and that's just the mealtimes. The idea is to have the food on your lap in time for the 7.30pm kick-off. But what to eat? Well, football demands junk food but that doesn't have to mean a greasy takeaway. You can treat yourself to a refined, tasty version of that old stadium favourite, the burger with onions. The burger is home-made - the better quality the mince, the better the result - and the relish is sweet, sour and spicy with a melting, texture. I serve the burgers in the traditional buns with some of those salty Beit Hashita pickled cucumbers, raw onion rings, salad, mayo and ketchup. This has been been tried and tested many times – and believe me, if Capello can get results with the same kind of consistency I produce with the burgers, then England will be well on their way to the final.

Incidentally, you can double up the quantities of the mince beef mixture and have meat(foot)balls in tomato sauce the following evening. That way you won't be playing too much extra time.

Ingredients

For the burgers:
● 450g beef mince
● 1 egg
● Half cup matzah meal
● 1 medium onion, grated
● Salt and black pepper
● Oil for frying

For the onion relish:
● Two large onions, sliced
● 1 green chilli, chopped and deseeded
● 1 teasp sugar
● Salt, black pepper
● Splash of balsamic vinegar
● 1tbsp oil

Method

● To make the relish, pour the oil in to a hot saucepan over a high heat and add the onion.
● Fry until the onion starts to brown, then add the sugar the chilli, the balsamic vinegar and the seasoning and continue to stir for another few seconds.
● Turn the heat down to a low setting, place the lid on the pan and cook for 20 minutes until the onions are evenly brown, soft and a jam-like consistency.
● To make the burgers, pre-heat oven to maximum.
● Place the mince in a large mixing bowl.
● Add the matzah meal, egg, onion and seasoning and mix well.
● Form the mince into burgers around the size of your palm and one inch thick.
● Heat a grill pan on a hot flame. Lightly oil the pan and sear the burgers for a minute on one side.
● Turn them over and place in the hot oven for around six minutes or until just cooked through.