Crispy Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

I am constantly on the search for great veggie burgers. While anyone who reads my blogs knows I love meat burgers, I am intrigued with how to make the best veggie burger, that really competes with any meat burger. I have found one here. Firm, crispy and delicious, great, flavorful body - not mushy. This one is a winner, and stands up to all the great toppings you might have in mind. Go wild with this!

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup rainbow quinoa

1 poblano green pepper, finely diced

1 small onion, tennis ball sized, finely diced

1 red Fresno pepper, finely diced (or Jalapeño)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced

1 carrot, peeled and shredded on a coarse grater

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp Besan (garbanzo bean flour), optional

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bring 1-1/2 cup water to boil in a small saucepan and add a dash of salt. Add the quinoa and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered for about 15 minutes. Fluff and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast beans for 30 minutes in oven, until dry and skin is cracking. Shake a few times. Remove from oven and cool.

Sauté onion and peppers in a sauté pan for about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and herbs and cook another 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Place the beans in a small food processor and pulse several times just to form a very coarse meal - you still want to see good chunks of the black beans. Turn beans into a mixing bowl.

Add the cooled quinoa, sautéed veggies and carrot along with all remaining ingredients. Mix well with your hands and then form into four to six burger patties. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Gently place the burgers in the skillet and brown the first side for about 3-5 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for the same amount of time - a crispy burger is really good (there is no ‘medium rare’ here).

Add cheese slice on top if desired and allow to melt.

Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Makes 5-6 burgers.

Cook’s Notes: If you don’t have the fresh herbs, relax. Sprinkle in half as much of dried whatever ya’ got!

Advised by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, the whiz-kid chef of the ‘Food Lab Cookbook: Better Home Cooking Through Science’ (you can imagine, one of my favorite books!) and Serious Eats online, roasting the black beans dehydrates them and makes them bind so much better, forming a much less mushy burger; one challenge of the veggie burger.

I like using shredded carrot (or store-bought matchstick) along with shredded (NOT grated) Parmesan, because I feel these act as rebar-like structural supports to help bind together a cohesive burger - perhaps the biggest challenge of the veggie burger. I also feel the besan flour acts as a good cement to bind as well.

PS - as with most bean burgers, I hesitate to do on a grill... I have not tried this one. Perhaps it is a contender?...

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs. Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have. Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade. Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375F.

Chicken Piccata over Squid Ink Pasta

Serve this delicious lemony piccata over your favorite pasta. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thick cutlets 1/4 cup flour 1 lemon sliced and de-seeded 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp capers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 8 oz squid ink pasta fresh parsley for garnish Melt butter in the oil in a skillet. Fry the lemon slices for a few minutes, just until beginning to brown. Set aside on a plate. Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast. Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown the first side of each in the butter mixture in the skillet. Flip to brown second side. Cook over low heat for a total of about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook until just al dente. Remove chicken to a plate when cooked through. Add capers and garlic to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with c

Coconut Rice Noodles with Eggplant

Noodle bowls are always a welcome dish for a wholesome dinner meal after an outing like grooming roses with your Park friends. Or whatever you've been doing in the afternoon. This will satisfy an appetite after a good day's work, with hearty eggplant, satisfying noodles and a cozy broth of coconut and tomatoes. Garnish with basil or mint. 1/2 lb dried wide rice noodles 2 Tbsp olive oil plus 2 Tbsp salted butter 1 medium onion, sliced kernels from 1 fresh corn stalk, or 1/2 cup frozen 3/4 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 2 cloves garlic, minced 3/4-inch fresh ginger, minced 1 tsp favorite curry powder 1 can whole coconut milk (I used Trader Joe’s) 2 cups chicken (or veggie broth) - I used home-made stock 1 dozen grape tomatoes, halved Set a medium pot of water to boil for the noodles. Simmer according to package directions until just before cooked. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes on

Cuisine Eric

Search This Blog