Amazing Lentil Burgers
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
1/2 cup black beans
1 can tomato paste (about 4 tbsp)
1/4 cup chopped onions
3 cloves chopped garlic
fresh basil leaves- chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon oregano
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
Note, the spices are merely suggestions and can be substituted/omitted if you want.
1. Boil the legumes in three (3) cups of water until very soft. Stir in spices (except for fresh basil)
2. Put the bean mixture into a food processor along with tomato paste and blend for a few seconds until the mixture has become mashed and cohesive but not entirely smooth.
3. Sauté onion and garlic and stir in. Also stir in basil leaves now (I like to add them at this point so that they stay whole and add color to the mixture)
4. Form into patties and pan fry in skillet in small amount of olive oil until browned.
Serve on burger rolls with Natalie's Magic Burger Sauce!
SO HOW'D IT GO?
Good taste, but I found them to be pretty crumbly. One thought--my smallest cans of tomato paste are still more than 4 Tbsp. worth--maybe closer to 8 Tbsp. (or 1/2 cup). Perhaps I should have added the whole can so everything stuck together?
Other changes (but I really don't think they should have mattered): I used canned white beans instead of black beans, and I used 2 tsp curry powder instead of the cumin/tumeric/cayenne. Also I skipped the basil b/c I didn't have any.