Burger and Fries

Ok, so this isn’t your typical burger and fries.  This is a home made veggie burger and sweet potato fries.  And they are delicious.  Now I’ve made veggie burgers before and its really great how adaptable they are.  Throw some veggies together, mash up some beans and then add some sort of binding agent – usually crushed up crackers and an egg.  These are in the same vein – but they use beets – which I can never get enough of.

I love beets.  I love how they stain your hands.  I love how they smell like dirt (in a good way).  And the color!  You don’t often get a chance to eat magenta food!  They are the prime ingredient in these burgers.  Now if you don’t like beets you could use a variety of different vegetables – peppers or corn or really anything that you have laying around.

The spices are what really make this burger shine.  When I made veggie burgers before I usually just let the vegetables do the talking and use very few spices.  But now, those burgers look bland in comparison.  The coriander really takes these up a notch.  If you don’t use beets, you may want to think about changing up the spices.  You could do an Indian inspired veggies burger with peas, potatoes, curry and turmeric for instance.  I just don’t know how well the coriander would meld with all different sorts of veggies.

This recipe made 6 good sized patties.  But with only 2 people in the house that is way more than we actually need.  Luckily veggie burgers freeze very well.  So I cooked 2 for dinner tonight, 1 for lunch tomorrow and then I made the other 3 patties, wrapped them in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer.  And when I take them out, I don’t even have to defrost them, just put them in a pan of hot olive oil.  They’ll take a bit longer to cook, but they will be just as delicious as the fresh ones!

Beet Burger

Adapted from Eating/SF

1/2 cup of brown rice
1 onion, diced small
2 large beets (about 1 pound), diced finely
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of cider vinegar (I didn’t have cider vinegar so I used white wine vinegar)
1 can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of parsley, minced (I forgot to get this, so I didn’t use it)
1 teaspoon of coriander, ground finely
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
2 tablespoons of flour
salt and pepper, to taste

To serve:
whole-wheat hamburger buns
cheddar cheese slices (I used muenster)
lettuce leaves

1. Bring a large amount of water to a boil in a small pot. Add a few pinches of salt and brown rice and reduce to a simmer. Let the rice cook, stirring every once in a while, for about 40 minutes (until slightly over-cooked, but still holding its shape). Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for about 5-8 minutes (until onions are softened).
3. Stir in the diced beets, until well-mixed with the onions. Cover the skillet and cook until the beets are completely tender (about 30-40 minutes). Stir occasionally to keep the beets from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Once the beets are fork-tender, add the garlic, cooking for about 1 minute. Add the cider to deglaze the pan. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
4. Pour the beans into a large bowl and mash slightly with a fork. Add in the rice, beet mixture, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, parsley, spices, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and taste. Add additional seasoning to your liking. Stir in the flour and mix well. Shape the mixture into 6 individual patties.
5. Place the hamburger buns in the oven to get toasty and remove once they’re to your liking.
6. Meanwhile, make the burgers. Oil a cast-iron skillet or stovetop grill pan and heat over high. (I used the same pan that I used to cook the beets and did not clean in between)
7. Place the patties on the skillet, cooking for about 2-3 minutes (make sure to allow both sides to develop a bit of a crust). Carefully flip to the other side. If the burgers start to fall apart, just mold them back together using your spatula. Place 1-2 slices of cheese (if using) on top of each patty.
8. Place patties on top of toasted buns. Top with the toppings you are using.