I don't have a food processor (yet), and I wanted to make some sort of veggie burger. It was hard to find a recipe that didn't need a food processor, so when I came upon this recipe for black bean fritters, I adapted it to make burgers instead of a dipping appetizer. My friend Lauren was in town and helped make these a successful dish, with the addition of a made up Mexican-style aioli for topping!
black bean fritters
yield varies depending on size of patties
For fritters
3 cups black bean, cooked
1 large yellow pepper, remove seed, chop into small pieces
1 small white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large tomato, chopped into small pieces
1 cup corn, cooked
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons all purpose unbleached flour
2 eggs, room temperature
Sea salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
Cheese of choice (optional, for melting. we used Mexican mix shredded cheese)
Hamburger buns (we used mini pretzel rolls and made sliders)
Veggies of choice for topping (we used tomatoes and onions)
*add breadcrumbs if mixture doesn't bind easily
For aioli
1/2 cup plain mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
*feel free to adjust measurements to taste
Turn on broiler.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and combine. Chill in the refrigerator if you are not frying right away. Add flour or breadcrumbs if the mixture is not sticking well. Season with sea salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, add three tablespoons of oil to the pan on medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add the bean mixture in spoonfuls according to the size patties you want. Fry on one side until golden brown and crispy (time varies with size). Flip over for a further three minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Season with fresh black pepper and sea salt.
Once drained, place cheese on top of patty and place in broiler until melted and bubbling. Remove from oven and assemble burger as desired. These made for a very flavorful summer burger alternative, and the variations available make it easy to customize to your taste. Add or substitute any veggies you want in the black bean mixture for your own favorite combination!
-E
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and combine. Chill in the refrigerator if you are not frying right away. Add flour or breadcrumbs if the mixture is not sticking well. Season with sea salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, add three tablespoons of oil to the pan on medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add the bean mixture in spoonfuls according to the size patties you want. Fry on one side until golden brown and crispy (time varies with size). Flip over for a further three minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Season with fresh black pepper and sea salt.
Once drained, place cheese on top of patty and place in broiler until melted and bubbling. Remove from oven and assemble burger as desired. These made for a very flavorful summer burger alternative, and the variations available make it easy to customize to your taste. Add or substitute any veggies you want in the black bean mixture for your own favorite combination!
-E
