Mushroom Nut Burgers over Greens (WFPBGF)
Prep Time
30 minutes
Prep Notes
These are better than store-bought and almost as convenient too. Just double or triple the batch and freeze the burgers on a wax-paper tray until solid; then wrap them up and keep them frozen for a rainy day. You could also have them on a whole-grain bun.
Cooking Time
10 minutes
Yields
4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant)
2 (or more) garlic cloves
1 pound mushrooms (like cremini or button), trimmed and halved
1/2 cup pecans (or any other nut you like)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or a spray of Pam for the bottom of the pan
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 cups torn lettuce or other salad greens
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 large red onion, sliced into thin rings
Directions
1. Put the oats in a food processor and let the machine run until they're almost ground to a coarse meal, about 1 minutes. Transfer them to a large bowl.
2. Pulse the garlic in the food processor (no need to wash it first) until the cloves are broken up a bit, then add the mushrooms. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but not pureed. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the bowl with the oats. Put the nuts in the food processor (again, no need to wash it) and let the machine run until they're ground to a thick paste, adding water a teaspoon at a time if necessary just to let the machine do its job; be careful not to make the mixture too wet. Scrape the nut butter into the bowl with a rubber spatula.
3. Add the chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir with the spatula, pressing and folding as you work until the ingredients are distributed evenly. Refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes, then make four patties.
4. Spray Pam in a large skillet (preferably nonstick or cast-iron) over medium heat. When it's hot, add the burgers and cook, undisturbed, until they're browned on the bottom and release evenly from the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the burgers, lower the heat a bit, and cook on the other side until firm and browned, 3 to 5 minutes more.
5. Remove the burgers and return the pan to the heat with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid thickens a bit. Serve the burgers on a bed of lettuce, drizzled with the pan sauce and topped with the tomatoes and onions or serve on whole wheat buns.
Credit
Mark Bittman