Burgers ?

Given that I have never eaten a hamburger in my life and that up until last year had never even tried a bite of a veggie burger, it is a bit of a surprise to see a burger meal featured on this blog. I am really not quite sure of what came over me this week, what possessed me to want to make, and eat a veggie burger. Perhaps my subconscious was reminiscing back to my first veggie burger experience, which took place at exactly this time last year, while on a trip in Bali. Even then, it's hard to say what caused me to break my burger-free streak and indulge in a chickpea vegan burger with a tofu dill sauce at the very earthy vegan cafe down the street from where we were staying. I know what you are thinking, but believe it or not, it was actually delicious.
So this week, when the crazy inclination to make my own version of a veggie burger struck, I decided to play on the flavors of my Balinese treat and make Lentil Walnut Burgers with a Goat Cheese Dill Sauce, Caramelized Onions and Avocado. And again, I was surprised at the wonderful taste of the burger's flavors and textures. Since I have never eaten a "real" hamburger, I can't say from experience that these lentils burgers are the ultimate, but as a burger skeptic, with some level of taste, I can confidentially say that both hamburger and veggie burger lovers alike will enjoy my take on the burger. Nutty lentils, tangy goat cheese, fresh dill, sweet onions and creamy avocado on a soft whole wheat roll, make this burger more about the "total package" rather than a perfect burger patty. I served these burgers with sweet potato fries and ice-cold root beer for a real weeknight treat.

Menu
Lentil Walnut Burgers with Goat Cheese Dill Sauce,
Caramelized Onions and Avocado
Sweet Potato Fries
Ice-Cold Root Beer


Lentil Walnut Burgers with Goat Cheese Dill Sauce, Caramelized Onions and Avocado

Makes 4

Ingredients

Burger
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 1/4 cup cooked lentils (sautéed 1/3 cup minced onion in olive oil,
add lentils, cover with water and cook until tender, about 1 hour)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts, finely chopped
Spread
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons plain goat’s yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- pinch of salt and pepper

- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (whatever kind that you prefer)
- 4 soft rolls or buns
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- 4 large leafs butter leaf lettuce

To make the burger patties, whisk the egg in a medium size bowl. Add the salt, pepper, olive oil, cooked lentils, garlic, breadcrumbs and walnuts. Stir everything together well and mash together with a fork. (You can also use a food processor.) Refrigerate the mixture until ready to cook.
To make the spread, combine the goat cheese, yogurt, dill and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix together with a spoon. Set in the fridge until ready to use.
Heat the olive oil over in a medium/large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium/low. Use your hand to form a patty with a quarter of the lentil mixture and add to the hot oil. Continue to cook the onions until caramelized. Cook the patties for approximately 8 minutes on each side, or until crisp and brown.
Meanwhile, cut the rolls in half and spread a teaspoon or so of the goat cheese dill spread on each side of the roll/bun. Place the cooked lentil burger on the bottom half of the roll, add a few rings of the caramelized onions, a few slices of avocado and a leaf of lettuce. Serve warm.





Sweet Potato Fries
Cooking Note on Successful Oven Fries: After many and many batches of oven baked french fries I have found that roasting the potatoes without salt results in a crispier fry. Why? Because, salt brings out moisture, which results in a soggy fry. I also make sure that the potato slices have plenty of room on the baking sheet to help them get nice and crisp.


Serves 4

Ingredients
- 2 large yams or sweet potatoes
- coarse salt
- olive oil

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Cover 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper. Peel the potatoes and cut each potato into half inch strips and then into wedges. Place the potatoes on the sheet pans, spread evenly apart and toss with oil. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Generously salt the fries right out of the oven and serve warm.

Soup's On

Basic Lentil Soup
Olive Oil Cornbread with Red Pepper Flakes
Salad of Mixed Greens, Apple, Candied Pecans and Gorgonzola





Basic Lentil Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 leek, cut in half, diced
- 4 medium size stocks of celery, chopped
- 4 medium size carrots, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 5 cups water
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 cups dried French green lentils, rinsed
- fresh grated parmesan cheese (optional for garnish)


In a large stockpot heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the leeks and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped celery and carrot and cook 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more. Add the vegetable stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the lentils. Cook the soup at a simmer with a lid for 1 hour, or until the lentils are tender. Taste for more salt and pepper. Serve warm and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, if desired.


Olive Oil Cornbread with Red Pepper Flakes

Serves 8

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup graded sharp, white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and milk, and pour into the center of the flour mixture. Whisk together until combined. Add the cheese and the red pepper flakes. Finally, add the olive oil and mix everything together until combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for approximately 26-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cornbread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift up the parchment paper and cornbread and transfer to a wire rack. Slice and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This cornbread is best the day it is baked but will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.