Veggie Mulch, Two Ways
The idea of trying to make my own veggie burgers came to me one night a few weeks ago at a restaurant as I considered ordering one from their menu. My fears were realized when a flat, generic, Boca-style patty was placed in front of me. Why is it that restaurants seem to flock to this cookie-cutter bean burger to satisfy their vegetarian clientele? I actually happen to love vegetarian food, but only if it's a bit more innovative than a pile of lettuce! Indian and Mediterranean cuisines do a good job with this. But I wondered... what is the real challenge behind the home-made veggie burger? Why do restaurants all resort to the template? Shouldn't these be pretty easy to make? So I collected my favorite veggies: leeks, Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic, parsley, and broccoli and pureed them in the Cuisinart with eggs and bread crumbs. The first dish, veggie burgers (er, on toast) turned out a little, well, soupy, and Jason tactfully declared them the perfect meal: soup AND sandwich, but I wasn't satisfied. Next time, need a vegetable that will hold the structure of the burger better, like potato or parsnip or chickpea. So I took the remaining "mulch" and used it for appetizers on the weekend - wrapping it up in crescent roll pastry and baking. This was much more successful. Overall, an interesting experiment, but I am starting to empathize with the American diner here.