Anchini Veggie Burger

For several years I have been on a quest for the perfect veggie burger. I want tons of umami flavor, good texture, natural ingredients and enough protein to count as a "main." After many failed kitchen experiments, that quest has led me to invent the Anchini Burger! I'm quite proud of this burger and silly-proud of the name, Anchini. (Someone tell me how to trademark this?). If you don't eat meat or you just want to eat something different, this burger is where it's at.

My Anchini burger is made with ancho chilis, dried porcini mushrooms, quinoa and beans. Its flavor is deep umami, earthy with background heat, and sharp with cilantro and green onions. The quinoa is cooked in the soaking liquid for the porcini and ancho chilis giving the burger a rounded out flavor and a lovely texture whether it's grilled or pan fried.

NOTE ABOUT BEAN TYPE AND SALT: Pinto beans will give you the most cohesive burger. If you're going to grill your burgers, then definitely use them. If you're going to pan-fry your burgers than either black beans or pinto beans will work. ALSO, please check the saltines of your beans. They can range from NO salt to 150 mg. Please test how salty your beans are before you add salt.

NOTE ABOUT DRIED PORCINI MUSHROOMS: I have not found a good way to measure these except with a scale. That said, a little extra or a little less won't be a problem.

NOTE ABOUT EGG vs. FLAXSEED: You can use either for this. I found that a chicken egg works slightly better as the binder in this recipe, but I use whichever I've got available. To make a flaxseed egg, use a small bowl and simply add 2.5 tablespoons of water to 1 tablespoon of flaxseed. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

NOTE ABOUT SPICE LEVEL: Although the spiciness of dried ancho peppers varies, I feel confident saying that these burgers are not spicy. Two ancho chilis will give your burgers a mild heat. If you're serving this dish to people who are completely spice intolerant (or maybe you have a hotter batch of chilis) you can just use 1 ancho chili pepper. Two of children don't like spicy food and they have never complained about the spiciness of these burgers. If you want a hotter burger, add some hot pepper flakes to the mix!

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Anchini Burger

Time: about 1 hour and 15 minutes. BUT most of that time is hands-off (20 minutes for chilis and mushrooms to soak, 20 minutes to cook the quinoa, 10 minutes for burgers to rest, and just 20 minutes to assemble and cook the burgers). Burgers can be prepared and stored in the fridge for several hours before cooking.

INGREDIENTS

1/4-1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms .3-.4oz

2 dried ancho chilis (rinsed, stem and seeds removed)

1 and 1/4 cups water or low sodium stock

1/2 cup quinua, rinsed

1 garlic clove

1 15oz can of pinto or black beans, drained but not rinsed

1 egg or flaxseed egg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/3-ish cup chopped cilantro leaves and some stems

2 green onions white and green parts cut into thin circles

1/2 plus 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons neutral oil for cooking

STEP ONE

Add porcini mushrooms and ancho chilis to a small pot with a lid and pour over 1 and 1/4 cups liquid (I usually use a mix of stock and water). Bring to boil then turn off heat and cover. Allow mushrooms and chilis to soak for 20 minutes.

STEP TWO

Making sure to SAVE the cooking liquid, strain mushrooms and chilis and set them aside. Return cooking liquid to pot. Add quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon salt to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low so quinoa is at a low simmer and cover. Cook quinoa 15-20 minutes until it's cooked through and its tails release. Once cooked, remove quinoa from heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.

STEP THREE

While quinoa rests, use food processor or mince garlic clove, ancho chili and porcini mushrooms. chilis, garlic, and mushrooms to a medium mixing bowl. Add beans, salt to preference (1/8-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt), paprika, soy sauce, and egg. Mix thoroughly and mash some of your beans against the side of the bowl as you mix. Add the rest of your ingredients to the bowl: cilantro, green onions, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, and 3/4 cup quinoa (you'll have a little extra quinoa; just save it for another use). Mix ingredients with a fork or wooden spoon and mash them against the side of the bowl. About 1/2 of your beans should be mashed (I find that with black beans I only get about 1/3 mashed before I lose focus).

STEP FOUR

Form your burger mix into 4-5 patties. If they seem wet, you can coat them in the extra breadcrumbs. If I'm going to panfry my burgers or they seem wet I add extra breadcrumbs to the outside just before cooking so that they have a bit of a crust. Once patties are formed let them rest for 10 minutes so they hold their shape.

STEP FIVE

Preheat your grill or pan on medium high heat. If using a pan, add 1-2 tablespoon of neutral oil to hot pan and add your burgers. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip your burgers and cook about 3-4 minutes until golden on the outside.

Serve right away. These Anchili burgers pair well with a side of coleslaw and homemade hamburger buns. they are PERFECTION topped with mayo, avocado and/or a lime crema. To make a lime crema, you can use my lemon yogurt sauce, just substitute lime for the lemon and cilantro for the mint!