Best-Ever Beet and Bean Burgers
Inspired by the veggie burgers at Northstar Cafe in Columbus, Ohio
makes about 6 burgers
1/2 cup brown rice (doubled if you like more rice)
1 onion, diced small
3 large red beets (about 1 pound), diced small
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons parsley, minced
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
thin slices of provolone or Monterrey jack cheese (optional)
Bring a large amount of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and the rice, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the rice until it's a little beyond al dente. You want it a little over-cooked, but still firm. This should take about 35-40 minutes. Drain the rice and set it aside.
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the onions are translucent and softened. Stir in the beets. Cover the pot and cook until the beets are completely tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan using the cider vinegar.
Empty the black beans into a large bowl and use a fork to mash them up a bit. Add the cooked rice, the beet and onion mixture, the lemon juice, the olive oil, and all the spices. Stir to combine and then taste for seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once it tastes the way you like it, add the flour and stir until you see no more dry flour.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over the highest heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil - the oil should completely coat the bottom of the pan. When you see the oil shimmer and it flows easily, the pan is ready.
Using your hands, scoop up about a cup of the burger mixture and shape it into a patty between your palms. Set it in the pan, where it should begin to sizzle immediately. (If it doesn't sizzle, wait a minute or two before cooking the rest of the burgers.) Shape and add as many more patties as will fit in your pan. Once all the patties are in the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high.
Cook the patties for 2 minutes, then flip them to the other side. You should see a nice crust on the cooked side. If they break apart a little when you flipped them, just reshape them with the spatula - they'll hold together once the second side is cooked. If you're adding cheese, lay a slice over the burgers now. Cook the second side for another 2 minutes.
Serve the veggie burgers on soft burger buns or lightly toasted sandwich bread along with some fresh greens.
Cooked burgers should be eaten that same day. You can also save leftover mix in the fridge for up to a week and cook just one or two burgers as you want them.
Before Mike burst in with this fabulous burger request, I was reading Marie in the English Kitchen's confession about a fast, easy, and delicious chocolate dessert. I am not fond of chocolate, but this sounds pretty good. I guess I should not combine the healthful burger with this decadent dessert...the scales of justice: veggie burger or chocolate cherry cake...veggie burger or chocolate cherry cake. We have a winner! Today they get the chocolate cherry cake because we have to shop for the veggie ingredients--that's as good an excuse as I can come up with.
Note: Mike is taking me to the Northstar Cafe this afternoon for a tasting of this burger. I'll let you know if it is worth the fuss.
Note: We didn't go. He told me how much they cost and I decided to make them myself. Mike LOVED them even though we forgot the cheese for the top. You must add an egg or oats to bind because they will fall a part. I toasted the bun and he thought they were scrumptious...and they didn't cost $15. each either. Things are out of hand and there is NO reason for a veggie burger to bring those bucks.
Inspired by the veggie burgers at Northstar Cafe in Columbus, Ohio
makes about 6 burgers
1/2 cup brown rice (doubled if you like more rice)
1 onion, diced small
3 large red beets (about 1 pound), diced small
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons parsley, minced
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
thin slices of provolone or Monterrey jack cheese (optional)
Bring a large amount of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and the rice, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the rice until it's a little beyond al dente. You want it a little over-cooked, but still firm. This should take about 35-40 minutes. Drain the rice and set it aside.
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the onions are translucent and softened. Stir in the beets. Cover the pot and cook until the beets are completely tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan using the cider vinegar.
Empty the black beans into a large bowl and use a fork to mash them up a bit. Add the cooked rice, the beet and onion mixture, the lemon juice, the olive oil, and all the spices. Stir to combine and then taste for seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once it tastes the way you like it, add the flour and stir until you see no more dry flour.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over the highest heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil - the oil should completely coat the bottom of the pan. When you see the oil shimmer and it flows easily, the pan is ready.
Using your hands, scoop up about a cup of the burger mixture and shape it into a patty between your palms. Set it in the pan, where it should begin to sizzle immediately. (If it doesn't sizzle, wait a minute or two before cooking the rest of the burgers.) Shape and add as many more patties as will fit in your pan. Once all the patties are in the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high.
Cook the patties for 2 minutes, then flip them to the other side. You should see a nice crust on the cooked side. If they break apart a little when you flipped them, just reshape them with the spatula - they'll hold together once the second side is cooked. If you're adding cheese, lay a slice over the burgers now. Cook the second side for another 2 minutes.
Serve the veggie burgers on soft burger buns or lightly toasted sandwich bread along with some fresh greens.
Cooked burgers should be eaten that same day. You can also save leftover mix in the fridge for up to a week and cook just one or two burgers as you want them.
Before Mike burst in with this fabulous burger request, I was reading Marie in the English Kitchen's confession about a fast, easy, and delicious chocolate dessert. I am not fond of chocolate, but this sounds pretty good. I guess I should not combine the healthful burger with this decadent dessert...the scales of justice: veggie burger or chocolate cherry cake...veggie burger or chocolate cherry cake. We have a winner! Today they get the chocolate cherry cake because we have to shop for the veggie ingredients--that's as good an excuse as I can come up with.
Note: Mike is taking me to the Northstar Cafe this afternoon for a tasting of this burger. I'll let you know if it is worth the fuss.
Note: We didn't go. He told me how much they cost and I decided to make them myself. Mike LOVED them even though we forgot the cheese for the top. You must add an egg or oats to bind because they will fall a part. I toasted the bun and he thought they were scrumptious...and they didn't cost $15. each either. Things are out of hand and there is NO reason for a veggie burger to bring those bucks.
Note: I just made this and it is fantastic. Be sure to use the optional frosting rather than the ready made frosting--while the homemade frosting is still hot, pour it over the still warm cake. I can't believe how good this is and I am not a fan of chocolate. This is a must try. I call it midnight cherry cake. Yum.
Lickety split and it's done! Delicious!
For the cake:
1 2-layer size devils food cake mix
1 tin of cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
3 large free range eggs beaten
For the optional frosting:
190g of granulated sugar (1 cup)
80ml milk (1/3 cup)
5 TBS butter
180g of chocolate chips (1 cup)
Or 1 tub of chocolate butter-cream frosting and a
handful of chocolate chips to scatter over top and
make it look good
Preheat the oven to 180*C.350*F gas mark 4. Butter a 13 by 9 inch baking tin and lightly dust it with flour, tapping out any extra.
Put all of the cake ingredients into a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until they are well blended. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Combine the sugar, milk and butter for the frosting in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour and spread this frosting over the warm cake. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.
If you are using a tub of icing, just let the cake cool to lukewarm and spread the icing over top and scatter with chocolate chips.
For the cake:
1 2-layer size devils food cake mix
1 tin of cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
3 large free range eggs beaten
For the optional frosting:
190g of granulated sugar (1 cup)
80ml milk (1/3 cup)
5 TBS butter
180g of chocolate chips (1 cup)
Or 1 tub of chocolate butter-cream frosting and a
handful of chocolate chips to scatter over top and
make it look good
Preheat the oven to 180*C.350*F gas mark 4. Butter a 13 by 9 inch baking tin and lightly dust it with flour, tapping out any extra.
Put all of the cake ingredients into a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until they are well blended. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Combine the sugar, milk and butter for the frosting in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour and spread this frosting over the warm cake. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.
If you are using a tub of icing, just let the cake cool to lukewarm and spread the icing over top and scatter with chocolate chips.
Thank you, Marie, for all of your great recipes and pictures. I am sure you don't read this blog, but thank you any way.
Here is my version of what I'll call midnight cherry cake--it is sooooo chocolaty. Too much for me, but the guys will eat it up.
Here is my version of what I'll call midnight cherry cake--it is sooooo chocolaty. Too much for me, but the guys will eat it up.
