Last week in the LA Times, a reader wrote in about an amazing quinoa burger she had at Cafe Pasquals in Santa Fe. The recipe looked so interesting, that I thought I would give it a shot.
First thing I would like to say is that I know this quinoa burger takes some work, but oh my goodness it was an extraordinary combination of flavors especially the toppings which included tomato chutney, fried shallots, thinly sliced daikons and guacamole.
The burger itself is a simple combination of quinoa, bread crumbs and mushrooms with the binder being mashed yams. The burger still fell apart a little so next time I would probably add a flax egg (2 tbsp ground flax seed whisked with 5 1/2 tablespoons of water – refrigerate 10 minutes or more to thicken), or more mashed yams. But at the end of the day, it didn't matter. Messy, supremely delicious and healthy to boot. What more could you ask for? Hope you enjoy this quinoa burger as much as I did.
Quinoa Burger with Mushrooms, Yams & Tomato Chutney
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds (I used ground mustard)
- pinch asafetida (I didn't use)
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1½ cups chopped fresh tomato
- ⅛ teaspoon curry powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fenugreek (I didn't use)
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh peeled garlic
- ¼ teaspoon powdered turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon mace (I didn't use)
- ½ cup vegan sugar (I used a little less)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup raisins
- In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and asafetida. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add all the ingredients. Stir together and bring to a simmer until the liquid reduces and the mixture thickens slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
- This makes about 1¼ cups chutney.
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 small zucchini
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large shallot, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps finely chopped in food processor
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1½ cups bread crumbs
- ½ cup mashed cooked yams, more if needed
- ¾ cup mashed avocado, for garnish
- 6 toasted vegan buns
- 6 tablespoons tomato chutney, for garnish
- Daikon sprouts, for garnish
- Thinly sliced fried shallots for garnish
- Coarsely grate the zucchini. Spread the grated zucchini on a kitchen towel, then roll up the towel and wring it to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside.
- In a large saute pan, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over low heat and add the shallot and red pepper flakes. Cook until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring often. If the pan starts to stick, I like to add a little veggie broth instead of more oil.
- Place the mixture in a large bowl and add the quinoa, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool, then add the bread crumbs and mashed yam, kneading the mixture to fully incorporate and for the the burgers.
- Test the mixture by forming a very small patty and and frying it in a saute pan. If the burger is too soft to hold together, add more mashed yam to bind. Make 6 patties by pressing the mixture firmly with your hands.
- Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Cook the patties until golden-brown on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side.
- Spread a tablespoon of mashed avocado on the cut side of each toasted bun. Place a cooked patty on one of the buns, and top each with a tablespoon of tomato chutney and a small handful of daikon sprouts. Top with a sprinkling of fried shallots. Place the remaining bun slice over the top or serve the burgers open-faced.
