Monday 14 November 2016

Spiced Cannellini And Couscous Burgers

I think I have mentioned before that Mr P. and I were vegetarians for about 10 years till the love of bacon drew us back into the dark side.  I was also a vego in my teenage years, due to my BFF being one.  She became one due to her brother becoming one, and I think he became one due to his girlfriend being one.  Phew!  You get my drift.

As a crazy Uni. student back in the day, I lived with lots of weird types.  Mm hmm, did someone mention dope, drugs, nudity and lots of noisy, wild, monkey sex?  No, I didn't think so. Vegan food was all the rage in our student household, so we were always on the lookout for dairy-free, meat-free foodstuffs.  Let me tell you, these were not easy to come by except in really expensive Health Food stores.

This would have been perfect for those weird and wonderful days. Not a cow in sight!  Ah well, we do have one egg, but buy free-range or grow your own and you can feel completely virtuous about eating these.  This recipe is from Delicious magazine; date unknown. 


Serves 4-6:

ingredients:


1/2 cup (100g.) couscous

2 tbs olive oil (40mls)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped - remove the seeds if you wish

1 tsp cummin seeds

1/2 tsp ground coriander

400g. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 tbs fresh coriander, roughly chopped

zest of 1 lemon

1 egg, beaten

bread rolls, salad leaves and relish to serve



Method:


Put the couscous in a bowl with 100mls. of boiling water

Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes then give it a good stir with a fork

Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large frypan over medium heat

Add the onion, garlic and chilli and stir for 5 minutes

In go the cummin and ground coriander

Stir and cook for another minute and put aside

Mash the beans coarsely in a large bowl

Stir in the cooled onion mix, couscous, fresh coriander, zest and the egg

Season well

Shape the mixture into 4 - 6 patties, depending on how thick you like them

Chill for at least 30 minutes

Heat the other 1 tbs oil in the frypan and cook the patties on each side for 2 minutes

Place on a baking tray and into a 180C oven for 6-8 minutes

Serve each pattie on a bun, with the leaves and relish






ingredients





fry the aromates for 5 minutes 





throw in the cummin and coriander  






mash those beans





add the other ingredients to the mashed beans 





patties ready for frying and baking






get frying






chop that salad






add a salad and some avocado purée 





my beany doodle

8 comments:

  1. These burgers were deliciously flavourful, Mr P says. Don't you love Mrs Pickings' doodle of the can of beans? Very Warhol . . .

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  2. Haha I want to hear more about your wild and wonderful days Sherry! You can't tease us with those tidbits without revealing more ;)

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    Replies
    1. ooh we would have to be in a private room lorraine so no one else could hear!

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  3. Yum! We eat vego half the time. I love how bacon lured you back to the dark side eventually haha.

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    Replies
    1. there is just something about bacon isn't there? we have a friend who replaces it in recipes with capers but it just isn't the same..

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  4. I had a go at a black bean and couscous burger and it was an utter disaster. I think the issue was a lack of moisture, so the cannellini beans may be a better options. If you were a vego in Brisbane in the 80's, you must have frequented Squirrels at West End?

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    Replies
    1. these were great. we loved them! oh yes we did indeed frequent Squirrels. ah the memories!

      Delete

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