Beet Patties
If you use egg, then this is a not vegan.
Ingredients
½ C dried chickpeas
(garbanzo beans) soaked rinsed 3 days
1 bay leaf
½ C quinoa
Himalayan salt
1-2 medium-sized red beets (about 10 ounces)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
(measure out & set aside)
Zest 1 lemon
4 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 egg replacer portion or
1 egg
½ C oats
Preparation
Drain the soaked chickpeas and rinse under the spigot. Continue soaking the chickpeas and repeat the procedure over the next three days.
Place chickpeas in a medium saucepan with bay leaf. Cover with 3 inches of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are almost tender. At this point, add ½ teaspoon of Himalayan salt to the pot. Continue cooking until the beans are very tender, but not falling apart. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour, depending on the size and age of the beans. Add water to the pan as needed. When the beans are done, let them cool in their water.
Place the quinoa in a very fine mesh strainer, place the strainer in a bowl and fill with water to cover the quinoa. Let soak 5-10 minutes, swishing occasionally, to rinse off the bitter coating. The water will turn beige-yellow. Drain the quinoa well, discard the soaking water, and place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 cup of fresh water and ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to very low, cover the pot, and let the quinoa steam until tender and all the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, until ready to use.
Peel the beets with a potato peeler, then grate them on large holes. The beets will spray, so wear an apron and have your work area clear of things you don’t want covered with tiny red specks. Heat the oil in a wide sauté pan (that has a lid). When it shimmers, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic, the grated beets, and a big pinch of Himalayan salt. Give it a stir, then cover the pan and let the mixture cook, stirring occasionally, until the beets are tender, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and deglaze by adding the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and stirring up anything that is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into thick rounds. Coat the bottom of a wide skillet with oil and heat oil. Carefully add the burger patties. Cook until the first side is golden, 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook on the second side until it is golden about 2-3 minutes, reduce the heat if the burger browns too quickly.
Serve the burgers on toasted buns (add avocado, radish sprouts, mustard or any toppings you desire) or serve alone with steamed vegetables and onion gravy.
