v:gourmet

I was given Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger for my birthday. He’s got a bazillion varieties of burgers in there from bean burgers to grain burgers to tofu burgers. A lot of them use eggs but there are 5 or 6 that I’d like to try that don’t require the extra binding agent. The first on my list (based only on the available ingredients in my house last night) was the Quinoa, Red Bean, and Pecan Burger. Volger called for walnuts but they aren’t a nut I keep on hand so it was pecans instead. We ate it with guacamole, fresh pea sprouts and tomatoes for a really tasty dinner. You can’t compare it to a greasy beef burger so don’t try. It’s a veggie patty packed with complex taste, a nutritional power-punch, and the ability to carry condiments really well. It’s a keeper. Next on my list? Mushroom Barley Burger. Stay tuned.

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly

1 small potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

1  bunch of scallions (green onions), chopped finely

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsps minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 cups cooked red beans

1/2 cup roughly chopped, toasted pecans

1/2 tsp salt

juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Bring 1 cup water to boil in a small saucepan and add the quinoa. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the water is absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, boil the potato until tender. Mash with a fork.

3. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, cooked potato, parsley-scallion mixture, red beans, and pecans with a potato masher or your hands. Add the salt and lemon juice. Shape into 6 patties.

5. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsps oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patties and cook until the bottoms are browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other sides until crisped and slightly firmed, 4 to 5 minutes more.