Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet...Just Got Better! (Recipes and a Giveaway!)

This Burger is Nuts (page 82) with lettuce, vegan provolone, red onion, sauteed mushrooms,
and guacamole on a toasted sesame seed bun. Styled and Photographed by Kate Lewis.

Over a decade ago I began writing a book, I had every intention of self-publishing, that was tentatively titled Just the Burgers: 101 Homemade Veggie Burgers. It was pretty much done. But, as luck would have it, I got a book deal! Not for this book, but for 500 Vegan Recipes with Celine Steen, and it was so successful, we immediately got to work on The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, and then Home Cooked Vegan Comfort Food, and then...finally I could breathe, pfew! A few years had gone by and I decided to ask if I publisher would like to take over the burger project...and they did! In 2011, the first edition of The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet was released. And now, in 2019, The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet...Just Got Better!



I'm not sure if you've noticed, but a lot has happened in the world of veggie burgers in the last decade! I can hit up a drive thru and grab a Beyond Famous Star at Carl's Jr. or an Impossible Whopper at Burger King. Or, I can pop into a local grocery store and pick up a pack of ready-to-grill Beyond Meat patties and prepare them at home.

I honestly thought twice...maybe three times...about even writing an updated version of this book. With such amazing options out there, who wants to cook from scratch? Well, it turns out, a lot of folks do! So, I added 30 new recipes, added lots of new tips and tricks (one with every burger recipe!), and re-organized the entire thing into more appropriate chapters, making the whole book much more functional and easier to use.

I thought I would share a few recipes with you. I chose three that were all very different from each other...one meaty, one veggie, and one for breakfast! Scroll past these recipes for a list of links to other recipes in the book, and at the very bottom of this post, check out the link for the instagram giveaway!

Steak Burger (page 50) Photo by Kate Lewis
Steak Burgers
This beefy burger is reminiscent of a steak house filet mignon. The glaze is silky, and savory, and luscious, and gives the final patties an extra bit of that something you can’t quite put your finger on, but you know you’ve tasted it before. . .umami. The glaze makes more than you will need for the burgers, so make sure to use it on other things, like stir-fry, rice bowls, and to toss with your favorite veggie proteins.

For the Seitan Dough:
1 can (20 ounce, 565 g) young green jackfruit, in brine, rinsed, drained and patted dry
1 ½ cups (216 g) vital wheat gluten
¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (8 g) dried minced onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (235 ml) beef-flavored vegetable broth (store-bought, or homemade)
¼ cup (60 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) mild-flavored vegetable oil

For the Simmering Broth:
6 cups (1.4 L) water
½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons (20 g) minced garlic
2 tablespoons (16g) onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Savory Steak Glaze:
2 cups reserved Simmering Broth
¼ cup (55 g) tightly packed brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch

You will also need:
Cheesecloth

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5) and line a baking sheet with parchment or a reusable baking mat. Arrange jackfruit chunks in a single layer and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

While jackfruit is baking, mix together vital wheat gluten, all-purpose flour, onion, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper to a medium-size mixing bowl. In a separate bowl combine broth, Worcesterchire, and oil.

Remove jackfruit from oven and allow it to cool, enough to handle. Shred the jackfruit until it resembles shredded chicken (you can use your fingertips to do this) and add to the dry mixture. Toss to coat.

Add wet mixture to dry and, using your hands, mix until fully combined. Right in the bowl, knead the mixture for 15 full minutes, ripping it apart into small chunks and smashing it back together as you go. (You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook, or a food processor with a dough blade for this.) Bits and pieces of the jackfruit will fall out of the dough, that’s okay, just smash it back in. The Simmering process will lock it into place.

Form into a ball, cover lightly, and allow to rest for twenty minutes. While resting, prepare the Simmering Broth. Add all ingredients to a medium pot, with a lid, and stir to combine.

Lay a sheet of cheesecloth, about 12 inches (30-cm) square, on a flat surface. Place rested dough ball in the center of the cheesecloth. Roll tightly into a log shape, about 4 inches (10-cm) in diameter, and 4 inches (10-cm) long, and tie the ends closed. Place in simmering broth. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, returning occasionally to rotate and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot, especially if it is not fully submerged in broth.

Remove from broth (do not discard broth!) and allow to cool completely. You can even place in the refrigerator in an airtight container, for up to a week, before using.

To make the Savory Steak Glaze, bring two cups reserved Simmering Broth to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Add in brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Mix together water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Slowly whisk in the slurry and continue to whisk until glaze thickens. Remove from heat.

Once seitan has cooled, unwrap the cheesecloth. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the log into burger patties to desired thickness. (I usually do 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick slices to really make them like a steak. Depending on how you are going to serve them, you may want a thinner cut.)

Preheat a frying pan or skillet with a smidge of oil over medium heat. Add patties to the pan and fry until browned, three to four minutes. Spoon glaze over the patties as they cook. Flip and repeat on the other side.

Serve as desired.

YIELD: 6 Burgers

Tabbouleh Burger (page 109) Photo by Celine Steen
Tabbouleh Burgers
Tabbouleh has a clean, light flavor that just tastes healthy. If you have a food processor, now is the time to use it.

For the Tabbouleh Salad:
3 cups (705 ml) water
1 cup (176 g) uncooked bulgur wheat
3 cups (180 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
1 large cucumber, seeded and diced (about 2 cups [270 g])
1 cup (180 g) diced tomatoes (approx. 2 seeded tomatoes)
¼ cup (12 g) finely chopped mint leaves
½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
3 tablespoons (45 g) minced garlic
3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
Salt and pepper

For the Burgers:
1 recipe Tabbouleh Salad (above)
1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame oil (optional)

To make the tabbouleh salad: Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the bulgur wheat, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Add the cooled bulgur and mix thoroughly.

Stop here and you have a perfectly good tabbouleh salad. You don’t have to make it into burgers.

To make the burgers: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Line a baking pan with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

Add the flour and cornstarch to the Tabbouleh Salad mixture. Knead until well incorporated. If your mixture is too wet, add a little more flour. Form into 10 patties. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through, until firm and just beginning to brown. You can eat them just like this, but they get extra yummy if you panfry them in a little sesame oil after you bake them, just to get a little golden crispy crust! Alternatively, use your Air-Fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 10 Burgers

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Burger (page 22) Photo by Celine Steen

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Burger
Cruelty free bacon and tofu eggs go together like peanut butter and jelly in this burger than knocks the socks off any fast food breakfast sammy. When you’re on the go, eat this on a whole wheat bun, an English muffin, or Bagel Bun, with a slice of vegan cheese or a little vegan garlic mayo. At home you can add a side of hash browns or home fries. Garnish with your favorite breakfast toppings (think omelet here: diced and grilled peppers and onions, salsa, ketchup, avocado, or spinach).

12 ounces (340 g) extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic powder
1 tablespoon (8 g) onion powder
1 tablespoon (15 g) yellow mustard
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup (25 g) imitation bacon bits, store-bought or homemade
½ to 1 cup (62 to 125 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil, for frying

Crumble the tofu into a large mixing bowl.
Add the turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, salt, and bacon bits, and stir to combine.
Knead in the flour a little at a time. Depending on how much moisture was left in your tofu, you may need a little or a lot. Knead the heck out of this until you get a nice ball of dough, at least 5 minutes.
Let sit for at least 15 minutes to rest. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and form into patties.
Panfry in the oil for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until nice and golden brown.

YIELD: 4 burgers

Here are some links to recipes for other burgers in the book, some here on this site, and some hosted by other home cooks, chefs, and bloggers who have posted them on their sites!

Super Quinoa Burger (page 95) courtesy of Dianne's Vegan Kitchen
This Burger is Nuts (page 82)
Curried Macadamia Nut-Crusted Tofu Burger (page 76)
Ortega Burgers (page 122)
Scarborough Fair Burgers (page 72)
Split Pea with HAMburgers (page 123)
Sunday Afternoon Grillers (page 35)

I am giving away 2 copies of the book! Head over to my instagram page to enter! Tag-a-Friend and win! Ok to enter world-wide, I will ship internationally! 



#Giveaway time! I'm giving everyone a bunch of #FREE recipes from my new book The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet (just got better!) and I am giving away 2 copies of the book! Just tag a friend in the comments and on Friday, August 30th at 7pm PST, I will pick a winner. You and your friend will win a copy! And, yes, I will ship internationally! Only one entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified. . 🍔 . In this photo (by the amazing @_kate_lewis): "This Burger is Nuts" You will find 3 more recipes, plus links to this and 10 other recipes from the book on the blog. Just click on the Free Veggie Burger Recipes button. (Link in profile!) . 🍔 . . . . #veganfoodshare #veganfood #vegansofig #foodporn #veganfoodporn #whatveganseat #vegetarian #food #govegan #veggieburgers #burgers #betterburgers #tbvbotp #anythingyoucaneaticaneatvegan #vegan #meatismurder #vegansdoitbetter #forkyeah
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1 comment:

Teresa Halminton said...

Thank you for sharing the recipe! Can't wait to try it!
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All recipes written by me, Joni Marie Newman, unless otherwise noted. Please feel free to refer to or link back to any of my recipes, but please ask for permission, and remember to give credit when reprinting recipes in their entirety. I do provide links to affiliate programs (such as Amazon) in which I receive a small commission for items purchased. I do not provide paid reviews. All reviews done on products or books are of my own unsolicited opinion. On occasion I may receive a book or product to review. I will note when this is the case, but rest assured, it will not affect the authenticity of my review. Thanks!--Joni