BBQ Mushroom & Bean Burgers with Wedges

These are epic! And I don’t mind sayin’. Everybody I serve these veggie burgers to pronounces them the best ever. It took me a long time to get the mix juuust right. Die hard kitchen accomplice Denise and I clocked so many hours trialling these that we actually shed tears of joy and did a delirious dance when I finally nailed them. They’ve got the mighty meaty look of a traditional burger, a brilliant barbecue flavour, and a moist but firm texture that stands up to cooking and doesn’t fall apart – all with the high-quality proteins of beans and quinoa. (While I’m singing my own praises, the wedges are pretty spesh, too!) Now, remember: good things come to those who wait. Making these prize puppies is a two-hour commitment. Invest the time to reach for the sublime. I promise you won’t be sorry.

SERVES 8 burgers
120 ml (4 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
150 g (5 ⁄2 oz) yellow onion, diced 1 tbsp fi nely chopped garlic
(about 3 cloves)
2 tbsp vegetable stock
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 180 g (6 oz) cooked cannellini beans
1 tsp natural salt
(see page 139)
420 g (15 oz) chestnut mushrooms, diced
3 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
3 tbsp red miso paste
160 g (5 ⁄4 oz) cooked brown lentils
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
270 g (91⁄2 oz) cooked quinoa
160 g (53⁄4 oz) fresh glutenfree breadcrumbs (do not use commercial breadcrumbs; see Note, page 64)
6 tbsp chickpea flour
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
37 g (11⁄2 oz) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika
1⁄8 tsp cayenne pepper

wedges

8 red-skinned potatoes (or other all-purpose potatoes), unpeeled and scrubbed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp natural salt (see page 139), plus extra to taste

to serve

8 gluten-free vegan hamburger buns or flatbreads
Extra virgin olive oil, to brush the buns
8 lettuce leaves 1 medium tomato, sliced into 8 rounds
1⁄2 medium red onion, sliced into 8 rounds 1 large gherkin, sliced into
8 thin rounds
Prepared yellow mustard
Ketchup
Barbecue sauce Mayo

optional boosters

1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

To make the burgers, in a large frying pan over a medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Allow to cool slightly.

Add the vegetable stock, lemon juice, cannellini beans, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt and the onion mixture to your blender and blast on high for about 20 seconds until combined. You may need to stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the container. Set aside.

In a large frying pan over a medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of the liquid aminos for 3–5 minutes until just cooked and reduced. Reduce the heat to low, add the miso paste and stir for about 2 minutes until well combined. Drain the mushroom mixture in a fine-mesh sieve to remove any liquid.

In a large bowl, stir together the cannellini bean mixture, the mushroom mixture and the mustard, then add the quinoa, breadcrumbs and chickpea fl our. Mix until well combined. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of liquid aminos, the balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast, parsley, smoked paprika, cayenne and the remaining 3⁄4 teaspoon of salt. Stir well, cutting the mixture with a spatula or spoon until thoroughly combined.

Line a baking sheet with kitchen paper (to absorb excess moisture). Using your hands, scoop up 120 g (41⁄2 oz) of the mixture, form it into a 7.5 cm (3 in) round patty, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture to form eight patties. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1–2 hours until fi rm. While the burgers are chilling, prepare the wedges.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

Halve the potatoes lengthways, then cut each half lengthways into quarters to create eight long wedges from each potato.

Line a large baking sheet (or two smaller baking sheets) with kitchen paper. Lay the potato wedges in a single layer on top and cover with a second layer of kitchen paper. Pat the potatoes dry to remove all surface moisture. (This will help the oil and boosters coat the wedges better and will enable even crisping and baking.)

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper and the onion powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika boosters. Using your hands, toss the potatoes in this seasoning mixture until evenly coated.
Line the same baking sheet(s) with baking paper. Using your hands (or tongs), transfer the potatoes one by one to the baking sheet(s), arranging them in a single layer with one cut side down. (If you empty the bowl onto the baking sheet you will get excess oil.)

Roast for about 30 minutes until the potatoes start to brown, then fl ip all of the wedges and roast for a further 20–30 minutes until lightly browned and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Tweak the salt and pepper to taste.

While the potatoes are roasting, fry the burgers. In a very large frying pan (or two frying pans) over a medium-high heat, heat the remaining olive oil (1⁄2 tablespoon for each burger in the pan) until hot but not smoking. Add the burgers and fry for about 2 minutes until golden brown, but not burnt. Use two spatulas to carefully fl ip the burgers and fry for a further 2 minutes until golden brown.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper or a non-stick silicone sheet. With two spatulas, transfer the burgers to the baking sheet. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes until warmed through. Transfer immediately to a cool plate to avoid burning on the base.

While the burger patties are warming, toast the burger buns. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and place each half of the bun on the sheet, inside side up. Brush with olive oil, and bake until toasted to your liking.

Serve family style, with the toppings in bowls on the table. Place two halves of the burger bun on a plate, place a burger on top of one half. Serve with wedges, and allow people to assemble their burgers the way they like.

Note: Shop-bought gluten-free or wheat breadcrumbs are too heavy and overwhelming in these burgers. Make your own gluten-free breadcrumbs by pulsing 4 slices of gluten-free bread in a food processor for 10–20 seconds until the bread has the consistency of breadcrumbs. This makes about 160 g (51⁄2 oz) breadcrumbs.

Recipe and image extracted from The Perfect Blend by Tess Masters.

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