SIX IDEAS FOR

burgers

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Serve these burgers inside buns with whatever salad, pickles or condiments you fancy. Onion relish, chutney and chilli sauce work well, or stir harissa paste, chipotle paste, lime zest or crushed garlic into non-dairy mayonnaise.

JUICY BLACK BEAN

Soak 10 g (¼ oz) dried porcini mushrooms in hot water. Drain and chop. Fry 1 chopped onion in olive oil. Add 2 sliced garlic cloves, the porcini, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Stir until evaporated. Blitz 15 g (½ oz) oats in a food processor and put in a bowl. Drain and rinse 1 x 400 g 14 oz) tinned black beans. Blitz half and add to oats. Add unblitzed beans, 150 g (5½ oz) grated cooked beetroot (beets), liquid squeezed out, 100 g (3½ oz) cooked rice, the onion, 1 tsp chipotle paste, ½ tsp paprika, ground cumin and coriander, 1 tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup), grated zest of ½ lime, 1 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro) and 15 g (½ oz) breadcrumbs. Shape into 4 patties and chill. Fry in olive oil until golden.

MUSHROOM

Remove the stalks from 4 portobello mushrooms. Whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp chopped thyme and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Brush the open sides of the mushrooms with the oil and grill for 5 minutes. Turn over, brush with more of the oil and cook for 5 minutes more. Turn over again, brush with more oil, then sprinkle with 2 tsp vegan parmesan cheese, either home-made or grated shop-bought. Grill until bubbling.

LENTIL

Mix 250 g (9 oz) cold mashed potato with 200 g (7 oz) cooked green or brown lentils, 1 tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 1 finely sliced spring onion (scallion) and sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Form into 4 patties and chill for 30 minutes. Fry in olive oil until golden.

KIBBE

Fry 1 chopped onion in olive oil until soft. Add 1 chopped garlic clove, ½ tsp each allspice, cinnamon and cumin and cook for 2 minutes. Add 90 g (3¼ oz) red lentils, ½ tsp fine sea salt and 800 ml (28 fl oz) water. Gently cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Add 90 g (3¼ oz) rinsed burghul (bulgur) wheat and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain, return to the pan and add ½ tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée), 2 tbsp pine nuts and 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses. Cook for 2 minutes more then leave to cool. Add 1 small handful each chopped mint and flat-leaf (Italian) parsley and 1 tbsp rice flour. Shape into 4 patties and fry in vegetable oil until golden.

CHORIZO

Crumble 225 g (8 oz) tempeh into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp miso paste, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée), ½ tsp each smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano and 2 tbsp vegetable stock. Pour over the tempeh and mix well. Shape into 4 patties and fry in olive oil until golden on both sides.

WHITE BEAN

Fry 1 finely chopped onion and ½ a finely chopped red capsicum (pepper) in olive oil until soft. Add 1 crushed garlic clove, ½ tsp each ground cumin and coriander and a pinch of chilli powder. Cook for 2 minutes, then set aside to cool. Drain 1 x 400 g (14 oz) tinned cannellini beans and blitz two-thirds in a blender with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Stir together the blitzed and unblitzed beans, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 2 tsp chipotle paste and the onion mixture. Taste for seasoning. Shape into 4 patties and chill for 30 minutes. Fry in olive oil over a medium heat until golden.