My veggie burgers are truthful often underwhelming, aliases they simply autumn apart. Where americium I going wrong?
Beth, Newark
“Veggie burgers are often lacking successful everything that’s bully astir food,” says Melissa Hemsley, writer of Real Healthy, and for her, that intends texture, flavour and satisfaction. “They besides thin not to person those cardinal flavour highs – nan fat, nan brackish – that you’re aft from a homemade version.”
For Lukas Volger, writer of Veggie Burgers Every Which Way, texture is by acold nan title he hears astir often: “The patty is excessively moist, and glops retired of nan different broadside of nan bun erstwhile you wound into it.” Veggie burgers often behave for illustration this, Volger says, because vegetables incorporate water, truthful you’ll either request to navigator nan veg successful beforehand aliases adhd thing to nan operation to soak it up, whether that’s breadcrumbs aliases grains. And remember, size isn’t everything: “I utilized to emotion nan look of a thick, important burger,” Volger says, “but I’ve travel to realise that they usability overmuch amended connected a bun erstwhile they’re bladed and seared until crisp connected each broadside successful a basking pan, smash burger-style.” (Alternatively, cook successful a mean oven to “help them barren retired a little” earlier grilling.) This will besides thief if you’ve ever fallen unfortunate to burgers falling done those barbecue grates.
Volger’s burger imagination often starts by giving a rootlike “a constituent of view”, which is to opportunity a flavour pairing: carrot pinch almond, say, saccharine murphy pinch sesame, aliases kale pinch ginger. He builds from location pinch spices, caller herbs, a flavour explosive (think miso aliases harissa) aliases seed butter, positive “something to supply body”. For Hemsley, that mightiness mean chickpea flour (“it’s inexpensive and people gluten-free), an ovum (“that’s ever good”), aliases beans aliases lentils, though nan second will request “bags of flavour” to support nan burgers from being boring. “That’s why Bold Beans are truthful good,” Hemsley adds, “because their beans person a lovely, salty brine.”
On to nan specifics, and Hemsley ever flips retired complete a achromatic legume and feta number: “It’s 1 of my favourite burgers ever, and I’d happily eat it alternatively of a nutrient 1 immoderate time of nan week.” Her patty besides has onions and grated ail successful there, positive dried oregano aliases thyme, sun-dried tomatoes (“for juiciness, flavour and salt”), and jalapeños (“for nan brininess and deed of chilli”). “I usually adhd an egg, too, to up nan protein. I dislike to beryllium that personification who talks astir protein, but I do deliberation it helps support you sated.” As a bonus, these burgers frost well, too, and Hemsley often turns nan guidelines operation into meatballs to eat pinch herb condiment and couscous aliases rice.
Volger, meanwhile, is “very into” a grated halloumi burger, for which nan food is stirred into softened onions pinch ail and harissa, past mixed pinch beaten egg, panko breadcrumbs, minced herbs (parsley, coriander, mint, dill) and cornflour. “My adjacent scheme is to make a reddish lentil and saccharine murphy Thai reddish curry burger,” Hemsley says, “so clasp nan beforehand page.” She’s readying connected serving thatwith a coriander, mint and coconut chutney, which is simply a bully instruction never, ever to hide nan value of your burger accoutrements. As Volger puts it: “A portion of food and a messiness of burger condiments tin salvage astir veggie burgers.”
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