burger Archives - Feast of Plants

Crispy Chimmichurri Cauliflower Steak Sandwiches (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:00:35 +0000

I don’t believe in small sandwiches. A good sandwich sound have big flavours, contrasting textures, and lots of layers. This is one of those sandwiches. The heart is a cauliflower steak, marinaded in chimmichurri sauce, coated in a crunchy batter, and smothered in more chimmichuri. Layer it up with your favourite burger fixin’s, on a great gluten free bun or sub roll with a little mayo and I don’t know anyone who won’t love it. If you’ve been looking at vegan food for a while then cauliflower steaks won’t be new to you, but I know that they’re just not that popular to my meat eating friends. I understand. Taken at face value, the very idea of a cauliflower steak can symbolise what every meat eater thinks is the worst of vegan food. A thick slab of cauliflower (remembered as the veg that gets boiled till falling apart), surely can not compare to the big flavours everyone expects of a steak, right? My advice? Really don’t compare the two – done right, a cauliflower steak has tons of flavour and texture but it won’t be the same as a steak. It’s a whole new thing and I can’t recommend it enough. Makes: Serves 3-4 Ingredients For the Cauliflower Steaks: 1 Large Cauliflower, cut into 1cm thick steaks* 95g Gluten Free Flour 20g Chickpea Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 300ml Water 1 tsp Salt 2 tsp oregano 1 tsp Chilli Flakes 4 Cups Gluten Free Cornflakes Salt & Pepper to taste Oil for frying For the Chimmichurri Sauce: 180ml Good Olive Oil 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 1/2 cup (packed) Finely Chopped Parsley 4 Garlic Cloves, minced 1 Red Chilli, finely chopped 1 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano 1 tsp Salt Pepper to taste For the Sandwiches: Gluten Free Buns Vegan Mayo Tomato Slices Lettuce Directions Start with the Chimmichurri sauce. Mix together all the ingredients in a jar and put into the fridge to allow the flavours to mix. I like to make this the night before to give the sauce plenty of time but if you don’t have time try to at least give it 15 minutes. Place the cauliflower steaks on a lined baking tray and brush with a little sauce. Allow them to marinade for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees (200 Fan/425 F). Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through and basting again with a little more chimmichurri. When done the stalk of the cauliflower should be easily pierced by a fork but not be soft. Allow to cool while mixing up the batter. In a wide bowl, mix together both flours, baking powder, salt, and water into a slightly thick batter. It should be the somewhere between single and double cream, still with body but thin enough coat all the nooks and crannies. Place the cornflakes onto a wide dinner plate and cover with the oregano and chilli flakes. Crunch up the flakes so they resemble panko breadcrumbs. Toss well so the flakes are well coated in the herbs and chilli. Put plenty of oil in a pan and let it get heat to 170 degrees. Carefully coat the cauliflower steaks in batter, allowing the excess to drip off. Toss the steaks with the cornflakes, pressing lightly to ensure a good coating. Carefully add the coated steaks to the oil, making they don’t overlap, and fry until golden on both sides. Drain well before topping with a thick coating of the chimmichurri sauce. Serve in toasted buns smeared with a little vegan mayo, with your favourite fixin’s like lettuce and tomato. Tasty! Notes * If you’re struggling to cut your cauliflower into steaks, then cut into bitesize florets and follow the same steps. These crunchy cauliflower bites will work perfectly in a sub roll. If you follow this path, then you may need to whip up some more chimmichurri sauce to properly coat them. Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free! If you react to any of the ingredients I’ve included then let me know and I can suggest substitutions

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Beet Burgers (Vegan, GF)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 14:00:42 +0000

If you’ve taken a look at my recipe for Beetroot Wellington then you’ll know that recipe started as a burger. This is that burger. It works beautifully as a cheeseburger, the earthiness of the beetroot pairing perfectly with the smoothness of a great vegan cheese. But to make the best burger, a messy burger that you’ll need napkins to eat but will never regret – use my peppercorn sauce. Believe me, it’s a revelation. What’s more, it’s easy to make a batch for a crowd as they cook in the oven. Want to prep a batch in advance? They freeze or can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. I normally make more than we need for one meal and freeze the rest to make for a no stress dinner another day. You’ll find the recipe is very similar to my vegan wellington up to a point. It should be, they started out as the same recipe! If you haven’t already taken a look at that recipe then go ahead, it’ll make your Christmas dinner. Makes: 8-10 Burgers Ingredients For the Burger: 1 Small Onion, chopped 1 Carrot, chopped 1/2 Celery Rib, chopped 2 Garlic cloves, minced 1/2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 30ml Vegetable Stock 30g Walnuts 15g Ground Almonds 250g Roasted Beetroot 45g Chickpea Flour 175g Cooked Kidney Beans 200g Cooked Chickpeas 1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries 1/2 Tbsp Tahini 1/2 Tbsp Worcester Sauce 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika 1 tsp White pepper 1 tsp Miso (optional) 1 tsp Rosemary 1 tsp Thyme 35g Gluten Free Breadcrumbs 1 1/2 Tbsp Tapioca Starch 1 tsp Salt Suggested Toppings: Peppercorn Sauce Gluten Free Burger Buns Vegen Cheese Tomatoe Slices Fresh Spinach leaves Directions Start off by sauteing the carrot, onion and celery on a medium heat until softened and just starting to brown. Add the minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme and continue to cook until fragrant and lightly browned throughout. Deglaze the pan with a touch of stock before adding the rest of the stock and balsamic vinegar. Simmer until reduced by half and put to one side. Place the beetroot and nuts into a food processor and blend until chunky. Put the flours and breadcrumbs to one side before adding the rest of the ingredients to the food processor. Blend until mostly smooth, some small chunks are fine and add interest to the texture. Season to taste before stirring in the flours and breadcrumbs. Place in the fridge to chill. Preheat the oven to 200° C (190 Fan/ 355° F) and line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper. Shape your mix, I find about 1/2 a cup of mixture makes the perfect burger. Place onto the prepared tray and spritz lightly with oil before baking for 30 – 45 minutes, or your burgers are fully cooked. If making cheeseburgers then place onto the burgers in the last 5 minutes of cooking to allow the cheese to melt. Serve on a gluten free bun with a generous smear of peppercorn sauce and your favourite fixings. Notes Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free and soy free. If nuts are an issue for you then I’d suggest replacing both the walnuts and ground almonds with a similar weight of sunflower seeds.

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Butternut Squash Nut Burgers (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 12:00:10 +0000

There are two paths I tend to follow when making a burger. Either you’re aiming to make a good meaty burger that will satisfy any carnivore (like my kidney bean burgers) or embrace the flavours of your vegetables to make a truly tasty and interesting veggie burger (like my coronation chickpea burgers). Today’s burgers fall into the second category. A good source of protein thanks to the variety of nuts and quinoa, these burgers are easy to make and full of so many flavours. We served them with all your normal burger fixing in a bun but the mix is flexible enough that you have plenty of options here. Need some finger foods for a party? Just to roll into small balls, bake, and serve on toothpicks with a tasty dip. Don’t want a bun? In my opinion these work so much better in a lettuce wrap than a standard burger. Let your imagination run free! Enjoy and let me know what you think! Makes: 10 -12 burgers Ingredients 700g Butternut squash 300g Cooked Quinoa* 140g Almonds 150g Cashews 6 Garlic Cloves, minced 2 small Red Onions, finely diced 1 tsp Ginger, finely grated 1 tsp Smoked Paprika 1 Tbsp Cumin 1 tsp Cayenne powder 1 Chia Egg** 1 tsp Dried Rosemary 1 tsp Ground Coriander 1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes 4g Methylcellulose 1/4 tsp Xantham Gum (optional)*** Salt & Pepper to taste Oil for cooking Directions Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (180 Fan /400F). Prepare the butternt squash by peeling and roughly chopping. If using the bulb end of your squash then make sure to remove the seeds and put to one side – don’t throw them away as roasted butternut squash seeds are just like pumpkin seeds and make a great snack. Toss in a little oil and place on a roasting tray, in the oven for an hour. When cooked, the squash should be completely soft and starting to caramelise around the edges. Mash the squash and put to one side to cool. Place the nuts in your food processor and grind to your preference. I prefer to grind them to the size of small breadcrumbs but if you want a smoother burger feel free to keep going till you have a texture close to nut flour, but don’t go too far – process too much and the nuts will release their oils. Now just simply mix together your cooked butternut squash, ground nuts, and the rest of the burger ingredients. Make sure everything is well combined and taste a small amount before seasoning to taste. Place the mix in the fridge for at least 30 mins to allow it to firm up before shaping. The mix should be a firm paste and not too wet. Shape the mix into your favourite burger shape. I tend to find that about half a cup of mix will create a good size burger but the mix is equally happy turned into smash burgers. Cook in a frying pan with a touch of oil on a medium high heat until deep golden brown on both sides. Enjoy! Notes * I tend to always make more quinoa, lentil and rice than I need that day so I always have some in my fridge or freezer. If you need to make some then about 160g of dry Quinoa will make the 300g needed for this recipe. ** If you’re not familar with the process to make a chia egg it’s really very simple and makes a great binder. Mix together 1 Tbsp of ground Chia Seeds with 3 Tbsp of water and set to one side for at least 10 minutes. This should make a thick sticky paste, very similar in texture to a beaten egg. ***With all my gluten free baking, I always have xanthan gum in my cupboards somewhere but if you don’t have any then you can skip this binder. Your burgers will be slightly more loose but still tasty! Allergy Notes; This is naturally vegan, gluten free and soy free but I’m afraid there’s no skipping the nuts on this one!

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Kidney Bean and Quinoa Burgers (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:00:38 +0000

It can be tricky sometimes to meet the craving for a good meaty vegan burger without soy or gluten. Finally I think I’ve done it, and it’s easier than I thought it would be! The burger is deeply tasty, full of protein, and doesn’t fall apart like so many veggie burgers. This all comes from investigating an interesting new ingredient: Methylcellulose. The secret to the texture of beyond meat, this binder has the unique ability to firm up when hot. Since discovering it, I’ve been taking a second look at all my burger recipes to see if it can improve their texture. Want a burger that tastes as good as any meat, full of protein, has a great structure, but still entirely plant based? Need to avoid gluten and soy? This is the best vegan burger recipe you’ll find! Enjoy and let me know what you think. Makes: 6 Burgers Ingredients For the Burger: 1 Large Red Onion, finely diced 100g Mushrooms, diced 2 Tbsp ground Chia Seeds 2 Garlic Cloves 230g Cooked Kidney Beans 100g Cooked Tricolour Quinoa* 50g Walnuts 80g Rolled Oats 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree 1/2 Tbsp Ground Cumin 1/2 Tbsp Garam Masala 1/2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley 3g Methylcellulose 1/4 tsp Xantham Gum (optional)** Salt & Pepper to taste Oil for cooking For the Burger Sauce: 1/3 cup Vegan Mayo 3 Tbsp Ketchup 1 Tbsp Sriracha 30g Gerkins, small dice Serving Suggestions: Gluten Free Burger Buns Your favourite vegan cheese Tomatoes, sliced Lettuce Directions Start by mixing the ground chia seeds with 6 Tbsp of water. Set to one side and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. in a large frying pan, saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic on a low heat until the onions soften and the mushrooms start to release their liquid. Put to one side. Pulse the oats in a food processor until they start to resemble small breadcrumbs or a really rough oat flour, there’s no need to turn it into out flour as you still want some texture. Add all the ingredients to the food processor, including both the cooked onion mix and chia seeds to that put to side, and pulse until everything is just combined. Try not to over mix so your burgers will have some texture, the beans should be broken up but not a complete puree. Taste a small amount and season as needed. The mix will be sticky so oil up your hands to stop it from sticking and form into burger patties. I generally find that about 1/2 cup is the perfect amount for 1 burger. Place your burgers on a tray and chill for at least an hour. When ready to cook, the burgers can happily be finished in the frying pan or oven. While letting the burgers rest, make the sauce. Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl and taste. Add more sriracha for a bit more heat or more ketchup for a sweeter sauce. Place in the fridge till needed. To oven cook, preheat your oven to 200 C (190 Fan/400 F). Brush the burgers with a little oil and cook for 15 mins. Turn all the burgers, brush with a touch more oil and cook for another 15 minutes, or until browned on both sides. To pan cook, place a large frying pan on a medium to high heat with just a touch of oil. Cook the burgers for about 5 minutes on each side, or until well browned. I like to finish by adding a slice of vegan cheese to each burger. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the cheese to melt in the steam, it shouldn’t take much more than 30 seconds. I prefer to serve these burgers on toasted burger buns smeared with the burger sauce, topped off with plenty of lettuce and tomato. Enjoy! Notes *Quinoa is an excellent source of complete protein and the mix of red, black, and white quinoa really does add to the texture of the burger patties. If you don’t have any to hand then regular quinoa should do just as well. ** If you don’t have any to hand you can skip the xanthan gum – it really does add to the texture but the burgers won’t be ruined it you leave it out. Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, and soy free. If nuts are an allergen for you then you should get a similar result by substituting in sunflower seeds for the walnuts.

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Coronation Chickpea Burgers

Feast of Plants — Fri, 15 May 2020 12:00:00 +0000

Coronation chicken is one of those classic kitschy English recipes. Invented when the country was still struggling with rationing after the second world war, it was then seen as exotic and sophisticated. These days you can get cheap tubs of the stuff in most supermarkets and people use it as sandwich fillings or cheerful additions to an impromptu barbecue. These chickpea burgers were inspired by that classic British dish. Spiced and slightly sweetened with the addition of mango chutney and sultanas. Served with my take on the classic coronation sauce, this works perfectly stuffed into a pitta bread or sandwiched between two naan breads. Yum! Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients For the Burgers: Oil for cooking 1 Large Onion, chopped 3 Cloves of garlic, minced 150g Bell Peppers (aprox 1 large pepper or a mix of leftovers), sliced 250g Chickpeas (about the same as 1 tin of chickpeas, drained) 70g Sultanas 2 tsp Turmeric 1 tsp Garam Masala 1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes 1/2 tsp Cumin 2 tbsp Mango Chutney 1/4 cup fresh Coriander, chopped 1 Chia Egg 3 tbsp Chickpea Flour Gluten Free Breadcrumbs (optional) For the Sauce: 2 tbsp Vegan Mayo 1 tbsp Mango Chutney 1/2 tsp Nigella Seeds 1/4 tsp Cumin 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1Tbsp Fresh Coriander, chopped Directions First make your sauce so it has time to really gather some flavour. Mix together all the sauce ingredients and place in the fridge till you need it. On a medium to low heat, gradually saute your onion and peppers in a small amount of oil until soft and the onions have turned translucent. Turn up the heat slightly and add your garlic, continuing to saute for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Now ramp up the heat and add both the chickpeas and sultanas and quickly saute until the onions and chickpeas start to take on some colour. You can now put all the burger ingredients (apart from breadcrumbs, if using) into a food processor and pulse to a paste – it doesn’t need to be completely smooth. I like to shape my burgers using a half cup measure though feel free to use something smaller if that works with your plans. Once your burgers are shaped toss them in the breadcrumbs to help give the burgers an extra crisp coating. Pop your shaped burgers into the fridge to rest and firm up for at least half an hour. When ready you can fry off your burgers in a frying pan with a light coating of oil, cooking on a medium to high heat for about 5 minutes on each side or until well browned. Serve with your coronation burger sauce with lettuce and tomato slices in a pitta bread or between two naans – perfect! Notes * IF you don’t want to use breadcrumbs then coat your burger in chickpea flour instead. This should give it a slightly crisp outside and stop the burger from being too moist and falling apart Allergy Notes; This should be naturally vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free depending on which vegan mayo you decide to use – no substitutes needed!

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