Introduction
So, as the Guesscipe Book has already indulged in a delightful beef burger, it seemed about time to bring you a vegetarian-friendly alternative. In fact, with a substitution or two this is vegan friendly!
The main difficulty here is getting to hold together. Really, it’s just a adjust and test job, so you shouldn’t struggle too much. Also, you’ll notice that I begin by using a normal blender – this was before I discovered the food processor in my friend’s kitchen. I can conclusively tell you NOT to use a blender.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas (one can was more than enough for 4 burgers)
- Grated Carrots
- Flour (possibly)
- Bread
- Parmesan (optional)
- Fresh Herbs – something with a bite like Coriander
Method
- Begin by adding the drained chickpeas, herbs, and a splash of water to help them catch. Whiz in the processor until sufficiently mashed.
- Add some grated carrot too – around half the volume of the chickpeas or so.
- You’ll now have a fairly wet mixture. Slowly add the bread and parmesan (optional) until you have a much thicker mixture. If necessary, add a bit of flour to dry it out further.
When you think the mixture tastes and looks sufficient – it can hold its shape well and it’s not particularly moist – put onto a plate.
- Shape into however many patties you wish. It helps to have wet hands when shaping and then pat the burgers with flour to make handling them easier during cooking.
- Fry on a medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side – don’t let them burn, but be careful not to move them too much or they could just fall apart.
Serving and Storage
I served my burger on wholewheat buns with guacamole, fresh mozarella and a little grated carrot. Root vegetable fries were a particularly decent accompaniment.
These are best stored just after patting with flour in step 4 – they will keep for a few days wrapped up in the fridge, or in the freezer for a few weeks.
The Guesscipe Book 