Burger Season is here.  Who can resist a homemade veggie burger?  How about a veggie burger for the Barbecue?  Make plenty and have them on hand for those impromptu get-together times with friends.  These simple burgers can be made from almost any medium or large bean.  Favorites are chickpeas, black beans, and red beans, but I find that these recipes are also a good place to experiment with heirloom beans from the farm, such as red calypso beans, romano beans or moon beans. Feel free to use a combination of beans.

EASY BEAN BURGERS

If ever called upon to cook for a crowd in a pinch, multiply this recipe by three, and use three full cans of different beans bought from your local grocer.

• 1 1/2 cups cooked beans
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup good quality grated Parmesan
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, plain or grainy
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup toasted spelt bread crumbs, plus more if needed or substitute with ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, mash the beans using a potato masher or fork.  Fold in the eggs, parsley, Parmesan, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Fold in the breadcrumbs, adding more if the mixture is too loose.  Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes for the crumbs to soak up some moisture.  Adjust seasonings.  Shape into 4 patties.

In a oven-safe skillet or non-stick sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the patties and cook until browned on each side, 6 to 10 minutes in total.  Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the burgers are firm and cooked through.

PUB GRUB VEGGIE BURGERS

What’s a cookbook without at least one calorie bomb?  I’ve had veggie burgers at pubs and restaurants that taste just a little bit too good.  When I probed the waitress at one restaurant for what exactly makes it so good, what she told me – a combination of beans, cheese, chili powder – didn’t seem to completely add up.  I finally figure out the secret of the pub veggie burger: like most everything else on a pub menu, it was deep-fried.  (Do note my restraint in frying these in only an inch of oil rather than fully submerging them.)

• 1 onion
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups cooked beans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs for a crunch
• 1 cup grated nice-melting cheese such as pepper jack, Muenster, mozzarella or Fontina cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Peanut, canola, or vegetable oil for shallow frying.

Combine the onion, eggs, beans, chickpeas, chili powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in the panko, cheese, and parsley.  Shape into 8 patties.

Heat 1 inch oil in a deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Cook the patties in batches to avoid crowding, turning once, until uniformly browned, 8 to 12 minutes total.  Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate or flattened paper bag to drain off excess oil.

I took this recipe idea from Martha Stewart’s recipe collection and altered it to become more nutritious and easier to work with.

GARBANZO BEAN BURGERS ON THE GRILL

When summer barbecue season is on, consider grilling your veggies to go along with your veggie burger.  Nothing better than grilled red or orange peppers and onions on a veggie burger.