Sent by Anita Best of Neddie’s Harbour
This burger is one of the holy grails of vegetarian cooking. Not only does it contain lots of complementary vegetable protein from its combination of grains and legumes but its meaty texture is delicious and hearty. This burger achieves the rare combination of being meatless yet hearty and delicious at the same time!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
½ pound (227 g) of mushrooms, freshly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, freshly chopped
2 cups (500 mL) of cooked lentils (1 cup dried makes 2 cups cooked)
1 cup (250 mL) of bread crumb
½ cup (125 mL) of peanut or almond butter or tahini
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of miso paste or nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of dried thyme, rosemary or other dried herbs
¼ cup (60 mL) of chia seeds (optional–you can use finely chopped nuts or sunflower seeds)
2 cups (500 mL) of potato, grated
Instructions
I always add an egg to bind everything together, but if you are vegan, you can omit the egg. If you are using canned lentils, drain them well.
Splash the oil into your iron frying pan over medium-high heat. Toss in the onion, mushrooms, and garlic and sauté until they become brown and flavourful, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to your food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients except the grated potato. Puree the mixture until everything is smoothly combined. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the potato by hand so it does not break down in the machine. Rest the mixture for ten minutes.
Using your hands, shape the mixture into evenly formed patties. They may be cooked immediately, refrigerated for several days, or frozen for a month.
When it is time to cook you have lots of options for these burgers. You may fry them in a lightly oiled sauté pan on your stovetop, sear them on your griddle, grill, or BBQ, or even bake in your oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 20 minutes. Whatever method you choose, keep in mind that these burgers brown relatively quickly so medium-high heat will allow the centers to keep up while the exteriors cook.