pizza burger

Day 7. You knew it was coming. No Burger Extravaganza worth its salt would omit a Pizza Burger. Am I right, or am I right? This burger is a sausage-style patty, simmered in tomato sauce, smothered in vegan cheese and served between two pieces of fresh focaccia. Mmm, that's right.

The patty is made with tempeh and gluten and is baked before being simmered. The focaccia dough can sit overnight in the fridge to rise and your sauce can be cooked and stored for future use. As you can see, the burger, the sauce and the dough can all be made in advance.

Just as the previous burgers, these didn't last long, either. And although my family claims that they don't like tempeh, I beg to differ with them based on the empty plates.

Don't be afraid to make your own Focaccia Bread because it really is simple and easy. When you turn the dough out onto the baking sheet, be sure to poke the dough all over with your fingers. And I mean HOLES - deep holes all the way down through to the pan.

When the dough rises a final time, most of the holes will fill in, but you will still have the characteristic dips and valleys in the bread. I added a few slices of thinly cut tomatoes, but you can add a few slices of olives ...or nothing at all.

A few contest reminders before I share the recipe....

Vegan Heritage Press is giving away a copy of "Everyday Vegan Eats" (my cookbook). Enter to win HERE. Contest ends September 14.

Have you entered to win "Vegan without Borders," the soon-to-be-released cookbook by Robin Robertson? Contest ends September 14. Enter HERE.

And now for the Pizza Burger....

PIZZA BURGER WITH FOCACCIA PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Pizza Burger on Focaccia Bread

Makes 6 burgers

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, grated

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 cup vital wheat gluten

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3/4 cup vegetable broth

Tomato Sauce, recipe below

3/4 cup shredded vegan cheese

Focaccia bread, recipe below

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the fennel, chili flakes and oregano. Cook until the onion is beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tempeh, garlic and salt. Cook until tempeh is golden, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool the mixture completely.

2. Preheat the oven to 300-degrees F. Add the gluten and bread crumbs to the mixture. Mix well. Add the broth and knead until the gluten forms threads, about 3 minutes.

3. For the mixture into 6 burgers and arrange them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flip and continue to bake them for another 30 minutes.

4. Warm the tomato sauce in a large skillet (if cooled) and add the burgers, coating them in the sauce. Cook until the burgers have softened, about 8 minutes.

5. Remove as much sauce as possible to a bowl and add the vegan cheese to the tops of the burgers. Cover and cook until the cheese melts.

6. Cut the focaccia into squares large enough for the burgers and top one focaccia with the cheeseburger and add another piece of focaccia on top. Serve.

Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Natural sugar, as needed

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, basil, oregano and salt and black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper and sugar. Cool or use immediately. Sauce will keep for 3 days stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Focaccia Bread:

1 cup warm water

7 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast

2 teaspoons dried Rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon maple syrup

2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Coarse salt

1. Combine the water, 2 tablespoons oil, yeast, rosemary, oregano and maple in a small bowl. Set aside to activate the yeast.

2. Combine the flours and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the yeast mixture and process until a dough is formed.

3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large bowl and add the dough. Cover with a plastic wrap and allow to double in size, about 1 hour.

4. When doubled, knead the dough right inside the bowl until smooth and elastic. Cover again and allow to rise until doubled. This may be done overnight in the refrigerator.

5. Preheat the oven to 425-degrees F. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a baking sheet. Without deflating the dough too much, transfer the dough to the oiled sheet and flatten using your hands. With your fingers make holes in the dough, all the way through to the pan. Cover the pan with wrap and set aside to rise, about 30 minutes.

6. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the top of the dough and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan as soon as possible to keep crust crisp.

 

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

I am linking to these recipe parties: Healthy Vegan Fridays, What I Ate Wednesday and Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck. 

 

rou jia mo [chinese burger]

Day 6 Burger Extravaganza takes us to China. Indeed, China does have a version of a burger, but not in the same sense as the western burger. It is more of a street-food sandwich, but since it is referred to as "Chinese Burger" it made my list of burgers.

Rou Jia Mo is widely loved and universally accepted as just basically an amazing burger. My investigation into this masterpiece of sandwiches took me to You Tube, since there isn't much of any recipes online to research and learn from.

I found one video that was filmed in China and a street vendor is shown making the sandwich. If you are interested here is the link. Be warned, it is not vegan or even vegetarian. The sandwich is made starting at the 6 minute mark.

I used tofu as the protein because tofu will absorb the flavorful cooking broth. When the sandwich is prepared, the tofu should be chopped well with plenty of broth for it to continue to absorb. In the video the lady is shown chopping and adding pepper, cilantro and cucumber as she chops the cooked meat before adding it to the Mo bread.

I decided to make the veggies into a light salad to add on top of the tofu, which I think is prettier and because the tofu is so rich, it provides a welcome acidity.

The traditional sandwich is very rich because the broth is a bit fatty (I've cut it way down, but if you cut it even further, you will lose a lot of the appeal of the burger), but I tell you, after my first pass at a taste test, I couldn't resist testing it again - over and over again.

The broth is spiked with all kinds of wonderful Asian spices (I've read that up to 25 spices are typically used in this dish), but because I limited the spices, I added Chinese 5-spice as it brings lots of flavor to the broth in one little bottle.

With the burger filling all done, the attention turns to the bread. Pillowy, light, soft but with chew. After much, much research, I made a really great rendition of Mo. The Mo takes about an hour to rest, but there is no yeast in the dough, so it is not a difficult bread to make.

If you insist on using a store-bought bread, use an English Muffin or a pita, but it won't be as good. The bread is really an integral part of this sandwich.

Bottom line, Rou Jia Mo is definitely on our make-again list.

ROU JIA MO - CHINESE BURGER - PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Rou Jia Mo - Chinese Burger

Makes 4 to 6 burgers

¼ cup unflavored coconut oil

1 (14 to 16 ounce) firm tofu, pressed 30 minutes, cut into ½-inch slices

1 medium onion, chopped

4 whole cloves

2 small red chilies (or more)

2 cinnamon sticks

1 anise pod

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 (2-inch) piece ginger, grated

2 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons fermented black bean garlic sauce

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar, divided

1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice seasoning

2 medium carrots, julienned

1 medium cucumber, julienned

1 medium bell pepper, julienned

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Mo bread, recipe below

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the tofu slices until golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Add the onion, clove, chilies, cinnamon, anise and coriander to the oil in the skillet. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the ginger and cook for another minute. Transfer to a large pot (with all the oil) and stir in the broth, black bean sauce, tamari, 1 tablespoon sugar and 5-spice. Stir well and add the tofu. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

3. Make the salad by combining the carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, vinegar, sesame seed oil, cilantro, 1 teaspoon sugar and salt and black pepper, to taste, in a large bowl. Set aside.

4. To make the burgers, transfer 2 pieces of tofu to a work surface and chop well, adding onions and simmering broth to moisten the tofu as you chop. Cut a piece of Mo in half almost all the way through and stuff it with the chopped tofu and onions. Add more sauce to moisten and top with plenty of pickled vegetables. Serve immediately.

Mo Bread

2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons water

Neutral oil, as needed

1. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine.  Add the water and process until the dough comes together. Transfer to a large bowl and knead to combine into a ball. Spray the bowl with oil, return the dough to the bowl and cover with a plastic wrap. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover and set aside for another 30 minutes.

3. Divide the dough into 6 pieces, form into balls, and roll the dough pieces into a 3-inch circle.

4. Heat ½ teaspoon oil a large skillet over medium heat. Add a rolled out dough and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Do not burn.  

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

Vegan Heritage Press is giving away a copy of "Everyday Vegan Eats" (my cookbook). Enter to win HERE. Contest ends September 14.

Have you entered to win "Vegan without Borders," the soon-to-be-released cookbook by Robin Robertson? Contest ends September 14. Enter HERE.

Pin it!

ethiopian sweet potato + peanut burger

Day 5 of #VeganMoFo #Burger Extravaganza is an Ethiopian Sweet Potato and Peanut Burger with Nitter Kibbeh Aioli. Both the name and the burger are a mouthful, but, I promise, really damn good!

This burger requires the making of the Ethiopian spiced butter (oil, in this case), Nitter Kibbeh, however, that only takes about 2 minutes to assemble and 15 minutes to simmer. At this point anyone entering your home will be hypnotized by the aroma of simmering cinnamon, cardamom, clove and garlic and crash your dinner; be sure to make plenty of burgers.

As Kittee from Cake Maker to the Stars, aka Vegan Ethiopian Queen [can't wait for her cookbook!], will undoubtedly tell you, Nitter Kibbeh and Berber are the two top Ethiopian flavorings that you simply cannot do without.

To simplify this burger, but keep all the flavors, I've combined the two into one easy to make oil. This super spiced oil weaves its magic through the burger and right into the sauce. Ginger, garlic, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, paprika and cayenne will fill your kitchen. THAT right there is reason enough to make this.

Long burger post short, sweet potatoes, peanuts and lentils are the burger base, the Nitter Kibbeh Aioli is the sauce and a cooling celery-tomato salad is the crowning glory.

Time to gather your spices.

ETHIOPIAN SWEET POTATO AND PEANUT BURGER PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Ethiopian Sweet Potato and Peanut Burger with Nitter Kibbeh Aioli

Serves 4

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Nitter Kibbeh, divided, recipe below

½ cup brown or green lentils

2 cups water

⅔ cup quick-cooking oats

⅓ cup roasted peanuts, chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

3 scallions, minced

2 celery ribs, minced

1 medium ripe tomato, chopped

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon neutral oil

½ cup vegan mayonnaise

4 burger buns, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 450-degrees F. Combine sweet potatoes and 2 teaspoons nitter kibbeh on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until tender. Cool lightly and transfer to a food processor.

2. Combine the lentils and water in a medium pot. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and add to the food processor.

3. Add the oats, peanuts, paprika, coriander and 2 tablespoons nitter kibbeh to the food processor. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Pulse just until combined and you can form burgers that will hold together. Form into 4 burgers about 3-inches in diameter.

4. Combine the scallions, celery, tomato, cilantro, lime and oil in a medium bowl. Toss well to combine and season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

5. Combine the mayo and 1 tablespoon of nitter kibbeh in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.

6. Heat a large grill pan over medium heat. Spray the burgers lightly with oil and grill the burgers until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side.

7. Assemble the burgers by spreading aioli on the bottom buns, adding a burger and topping with the salad. Serve with the top bun.

Nitter Kibbeh

½ cup neutral oil

¼ cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, sliced

6 cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon paprika

1 to 3 teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon sea salt

1. Combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, pepper, fenugreek and turmeric. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Strain and stir in the paprika, cayenne and salt. Cool and store in an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

I am linking to these recipe parties: Healthy Vegan Fridays, What I Ate Wednesday and Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck. 

 

blackened cauliflower w/ roasted garlic pesto burger

Day 4 of #VeganMoFo #burgers is a Blackened Cauliflower Burger with Roasted Garlic Pesto.

By now we have all been privy to the notion that vegetables can become "steaks" and consider this my hat being thrown into the pile of already fast accumulating hats.

This recipe differs in a few ways. One, the cauliflower is first steamed to just shy of being tender, seasoned with blackening spice and then sauteed until tender and succulent.

The second difference is the Roasted Garlic Pesto. Put roasted garlic into a pesto and it becomes a hard to resist condiment.

That's not all, though. This burger is served with Garlic-Lemon Potatoes, which also happens to be an integral part of the recipe because the garlic for the pesto is roasted with the potatoes. Forget plain old fries! Bam! Side dish complete at the same time the burgers are. That's how we roll during MoFo!

BLACKENED CAULIFLOWER BURGERS PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Blackened Cauliflower Burger with Roasted Garlic Pesto

Serves 4

1 large (about 2 pounds) cauliflower, green leaves removed, kept whole

Blackening spice, recipe below

2 pounds new potatoes, halved

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable broth, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for sauteeing

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon sea salt, divided

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 whole heads garlic, cut in half through the middle

¼ cup toasted walnuts

1 cup fresh basil leaves

½ cup fresh spinach, plus more for garnish

4 ciabatta rolls, split and toasted

Slices of red onion

1. Preheat oven to 425-degrees F. Cut the whole head of cauliflower into 1-inch slices through the stem. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of blackening spice and steam the cauliflower for 5 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a baking dish and rub the remaining blackening spice over both sides of the slices. Set aside.

2. Toss the potatoes with ¼ cup of broth, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, dried basil and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a baking dish, cut side down and tuck the garlic halves, cut side down among the potatoes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, flip the potatoes and garlic over and continue to bake until tender, about 15 more minutes. Remove the garlic from the dish, cool enough to handle and pop out the garlic bulbs by gently squeezing the heads.

3. Combine the garlic, nuts, fresh basil, spinach, 3 tablespoons broth, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper, to taste, in a personal blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cauliflower slices and cook until blackened and the cauliflower is tender, about 3 minutes per side.

5. Make the burgers by spreading each bottom bun with the pesto, topping with a few slices of spinach and slices of red onion. Add a cauliflower steak and spread with more pesto. Top with the bun and serve with the roasted potatoes.

Blackening Spice

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Grind all the ingredients in a spice grinder or personal blender until finely ground.

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

mediterranean chickpea + tabouli sliders

Day 3 of our Burger Extravaganza is brought to you by these lovely Mediterranean Chickpea and Tabouli Sliders. These sliders are perfect when you are craving good old' fashioned hummus and tabouli, but prefer to have them in every single bite.

These particular sliders are made with freekeh tabouli and cooked chickpeas.

Last year I tested for Tami Noyes' and Celine Steen's upcoming cookbook, The Great Vegan Protein Book, and it is no secret that Tami loves to use freekeh - which is toasted and cracked green wheat. The very best thing about freekeh is that it is loaded with protein.

You can use regular cracked wheat in this recipe (you will need 1 1/2 cups cooked cracked wheat), but I recommend you find freekeh because it is delicious and nutritious.

I love sliders because they are cute as a button, easy to eat and your burger stays relatively together during consumption.

I top these adorable sliders with Tahini-Lemon Sauce that is spiced with just a tad bit of Sriracha, because you can't really go wrong there!

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA AND TABOULI PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Mediterranean Chickpea and Tabouli Sliders

Makes 10 sliders

1 cup packed parsley leaves

½ cup mint leaves

4 scallions, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ cups cooked freekeh, cooled

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (zest lemon first)

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

¾ cup quick cooking oatmeal

¼ cup vegetable broth

1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

Zest of 1 lemon

10 slider buns, toasted

Garnish: lettuce leaves, thin slices of red bell pepper

Tahini-Lemon Sauce (recipe below)

1. Combine the parsley, mint, scallions, garlic and oil in a food processor. Process until fine and transfer to a large bowl. Add the freekeh , lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

2. Heat the oatmeal and broth in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the oatmeal thickens. Transfer oatmeal to the freekeh mixture.

3. Add the chickpeas, paprika, chili flakes and lemon zest in a food processor. Pulse only to break up the chickpeas into smaller pieces, about 4 (2-second) pulses. Transfer to the freekeh. Mix the burger mixture well using a large wooden spoon or hands. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide the mixture into 10 portions and form into small 2-inch burgers.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking oil or add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Cook the burgers until golden, about 2 minutes per side.

5. Make the sliders by adding a lettuce leaf, a slider burger, a tablespoon of sauce and a few slices of bell pepper to each toasted bun. Serve with extra Sriracha.

Tahini-Lemon Sauce

¼ cup tahini

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

1 to 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce

3 tablespoons finely minced parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir well and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper.

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

I am linking to these recipe parties: Healthy Vegan Fridays, What I Ate Wednesday and Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck.