It's a hard road, to find the perfect burger. This one is a worthy road stop along the way.
Quinoa, cannellini and edamame beans combine to make a pretty darn great burger pattie that's high in protein and flavour.
Edamame beans are those tasty green suckers served in Japanese restaurants. Steamed and salted there's nothing better than squeezing the pods to pop the beans into your mouth, followed by a cold Asahi. Edamame are immature soy beans which have been picked and processed while still green. They're a good source of protein and fibre, and several vitamins and minerals. You can buy the podded version from the freezer section at some regular supermarkets, and from Asian supermarkets. They're great in salads and stir fries too.
This burger mixture is vegan and gluten free, but it's up to you what you partner it with as to whether it stays that way. I assembled my burgers in some lovely soft white (wheat) buns, with lettuce, tomato, grilled portobello mushrooms, quick pickled onions and some good store bought mayonnaise. Some chilli sauce would also be great, and I'm reliably informed that a big fat slice of creamy brie is nothing to be sniffed at. I used a flax egg (an egg alternative) to help bind the mixture, but you could use a hen egg if you prefer.
Quick pickled onions are a great wee thing to have up your sleeve. They take just a few minutes to throw together, an hour or so of resting time, then you have a nice sharp condiment to enjoy with burgers, wraps or salads, and I think they'd also be great alongside mixed roast vegetables. Plenty of leftovers to enjoy for the next few days too.
My patties held together well in the frypan, but were a little softer than i'd hoped for. I'd add an extra 2-4 tablespoon of chickpea flour next time to avoid this. See how you go when you're mixing it up, and don't be afraid to add a bit more flour to get it to a good firm consistency. Putting patties in the fridge for a while after they're made can help them firm up more too, but I was on a mission to feed the family and didn't have time.
INGREDIENTS
For the burgers:
- ¼ cup quinoa
- 1 can cannellini beans drained
- ½ cup edamame beans thawed (I put them in a sieve and ran under a hot tap for a minute)
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoon water (1 flax egg)
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-6 tablespoon chickpea flour
For the quick pickled onions:
- 1 red onion thinly sliced (mine were very small so I used 3)
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
For the burgers:
- Mix ground flaxseed and water and set aside to thicken up, it will become gel-like.
- Boil quinoa for approximately 12 minutes, or until the little tails have popped out and the quinoa is tender. Drain and allow to steam dry a bit as it cools.
- Put cannellini beans in a mixing bowl and roughly mash. Add everything but the chickpea flour to the bowl, and mix well. Starting with 2 tablespoon chickpea flour, add and mix. If it's still too soft, add some more.
- Heat a frypan over a medium heat and add enough cooking oil to shallow fry. You could try oven baking these to reduce the fat but i'm not sure if they'd hold together so well (let me know if you try this!).
- Divide the burger mixture into four even portions and use your hands to form patties, adding them straight to the pan as you go. Fry for about five minutes each side, until browned and firm. Resist the urge to fry them too quickly otherwise they won't cook through.
- Keep warm in the oven while you get your shit together to serve these up.
- Makes 4 large burger patties.
For the quick pickled onions:
- Mix vinegar, sugar and salt together. Add onions and stir to combine. Set aside for at least an hour.
- Keep leftovers in a jar in the fridge.
- Makes about one and a half cups.
yumm looks amazing!!
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