Monday, July 9, 2007

A burger with bulgur?


I admit I was not so sure how these would turn out. I was afraid they'd be dry and grainy, or DBF wouldn't like them because of the pinto beans. If they were too beany, he won't eat them. (BTW: he's the only person I've met who doesn't like beans.) But, they were delicious. Moist, but not too much so, and you could tell they were made mostly of beans by their texture, but it didn't taste like beans. And oh my god were they filling. DBF couldn't even finish his.

On the side were steamed fresh green beans and sweet potato fries. Overall, a thumbs up.

Veggie Burgers
1/4 cup medium-grind bulgur
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large egg
1 large carrot, grated
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. tahini
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 whole wheat English muffins, toasted

In a medium bowl, mix bulgur with 1/4 tsp. coarse salt and 1 cup boiling water. Cover bowl, and let sit until bulgur is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to remove liquid.

Place beans in a medium bowl; mash with a potato masher until a coarse paste forms. Add breadcrumbs, scallions, egg, carrot, cayenne, tahini, and bulgur. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Form mixture into 4 patties, each about 1 inch thick.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low. Cook patties until browned and firm, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Serve on English muffins.

Sweet Potato Fries
2 sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1/2-by-2-inch sticks
2 tbsp olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 450°. Divide potatoes between two rimmed baking sheets; toss with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer, without overlapping. Roast, tossing once, until tender and starting to brown, 25-30 minutes.

Sprinkle with lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, if needed. Toss to coat.

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