Two Sliders – Pea, Parmesan and Feta + Fried Chicken and Mango

On a beach somewhere, sand between my toes, salt on my lips and the sea breeze teasing my hair, I’m lulled into a gentle somnolence by the blue rhythm of the waves. A tall, cold glass, a meaty slider and a book keep me company and I don’t know what time it is. Truth is, I’m in the middle of a heatwave, bored by chores, plotting an imaginary escape plan. I do that sometimes, don’t you? When reality bites hard, we all seek a cloud to float away on. But I tire quickly of too many clouds floating away, leaving me behind. The heat, I realise is shutting me down – making me complain about the weather and stifling my spirit. I need to cook something I could eat on that beach. Maybe a slider since I was daydreaming of one.

That tall, cold glass can still be had and once that is arranged, it works exactly like a pacifier. Calmed, I think why not do something fun and make two types that are not to heavy and that can be eaten warm or cold, in the garden, by the pool, under a tree or in front of the television, using only my fingers. I’m not in the mood for clattering cutlery when drops of sweat are drag racing down my spine.

  

Sliders sound good – compact and easy.  A simple but super pragmatic invention, sliders don’t leave you feeling stuffed like burgers do, and yet they deliver that full bite of something meaty or veggie with all the relishes and toppings in one compact package. Frozen peas are every cook’s best friend; always available at short notice.My menu includes a pea, Parmesan and feta slider and a fried chicken and mango one, both jazzed up with a yoghurt spread(instead of mayonnaise) and caramelised onions. Mango and chicken have terrific chemistry, the yoghurt spread works as the garlicky creamy base and as for caramelised onions,put them on a boiled shoe and I’ll gladly devour it. I made everything fresh but both sliders can be prepped a day earlier; in fact the caramelised onions and the the spread can be made up to 2 or 3 days in advance. It would be perfect to get things ready on a Friday so that on the weekend you could do a relaxed, no-stress lunch.

To complement the peas in the patty; to make it more that just mashed peas, I add some Parmesan and feta but these can be easily substituted for any of your 2 favourite cheeses (or even 1 would work fine). Just remember to use medium to hard cheeses because a soft cheese would make the patty loose and difficult to handle. They can be shaped the night before and refrigerated; and are so foolproof that I’m planning to serve bite-sized versions as finger food at cocktail parties. 

The chicken slider has de-boned chicken thighs (they are juicier and more flavourful but  breasts are also fine). Make sure to cut the thighs or breasts into a size that will fit into a slider. You don’t want the chicken slipping out while eating. My chicken marinated for a couple of hours with salt, black pepper and red chilly powder but overnight would be better if you have the luxury of time. 

Casual, hip,fun and easy, these sliders are just what the doctor ordered. They are excellent for casual get-togethers, picnics, lunchboxes, and even road trips. They are versatile – you can put almost anything in them and kids love them, especially if you get them to assemble them. Now time to lay back, get another tall cold glass, get some mango juice on my chin and slide happily into a food coma.