BURGER WITH WHIPPED POTATOES
Sweet Potato • Portobello • Chèvre
Serves 2
It’s always worth repeating that the main nutritional idea behind the Wild Mediterranean diet is to work an abundance of vegetables into your meals, ideally in a 3:1 ratio to meat. This recipe is a perfect example of that balance with the combination of root vegetables and portobello mushrooms (in place of a traditional white-flour bun), plus the meat. If you have access to pastured beef, that’s great. If not, you can find quality hormone-free burger patties in the frozen section of the supermarket.
wild bonus: Mushrooms help support healthy immune and inflammatory responses in the gut.
1 medium sweet potato
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
8 ounces ground beef, formed into 2 patties
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
½ cup arugula leaves
¼ cup crumbled chèvre or feta cheese
In a small pot, combine the sweet potato with enough cold water to just cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the sweet potato is soft and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Season the beef patties with salt and pepper and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers at least 160°F, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and let them rest.
Add a bit more oil to the pan if needed. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, add them to the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes.
Peel the sweet potato and transfer to a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash the potato with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
To serve, layer each mushroom cap with half of the sweet potato mash, a beef patty, half the arugula, and a sprinkling of chèvre.
