I cannot lie, I love my meat.
You won't see me professing undying love for lentils - usually.
Fact of the matter is, my love for lentils has been a 'process'. It all began with laziness. That green lentils unlike the Asian, Indian compadres does not require overnight soaking.
Which meant that I could haul my lazy ass out of bed the following day and still be able to a decent dinner on the table with lentils without having to have remembered the night before.
And then I realized that green lentils are actually fabulous when cooked with a touch of salt, turmeric and whole garlic cloves. They keep for a week if not more in a container in the refrigerator.
Which means, all of a sudden I have a whole range of 'quick-fixes' for the dinner table and next days lunches.
Yup, school really is back in session and I feel it every night as I line up the lunch boxes. Whew!
So coming back to lentils. I've been throwing them is pasta with sage and they're just marvelous. Fabulous too stewed with tomatoes, onions and celery with a side of seared salmon steak. Oh yeah!
And then, as I discovered the other night, they are a great culinary medium to play with and turn into the most drool worthy burgers.
So much so that this patty sandwiched between 2 slices of bread with a touch of Jalapeno ketchup in the boys lunches earned me an extra kudos with a sweet little kiss for my youngest minion.
If you have boys you know those hugs and kisses are worth the price of GOLD. Rare is when boys give those out freely.
So whether you have big boys, little boys or you're married to one, I think you're really love these lentil burgers with these fantastic flavors even if you're a carnivore like me!
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Gather the ingredients,
3 cups cooked Green lentils (drained and cooled), 1/2 Spanish red onion, 1/2 small red bell pepper, 5 cloves peeled garlic, 3/4 cup packed parsley or cilantro leaves, 1-1/2 tsp Harissa chili paste or any other red chili paste, 1 tbs Pomegranate molasses, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4-1/3 cup store bought breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup crumbled French or Greek Feta, 3 stalks green onions (scallions), 2-3 tbs Clarified butter (ghee) for pan frying & 1/3 cup cornmeal
Sauce: 1/2 cup good quality Mayo like Hellmans, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream, 1 tsp Harissa or chilli paste, 3/4 tsp roasted ground cumin (preferably home-made), 2 tbs crumbled French or Greek Feta & Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
Red onion: Peel, discard skins and ends.
Green onions: Cut away the root and cut into thin circles using only the white and light green parts.
Red bell pepper: De-seed, discard membranes and cut into big chunks
Dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, whisk and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the onions, red bell pepper, garlic and parsley or cilantro leaves. Process for a minute or so until finely chopped.
Add 1-1/4 cup of the lentil and process until mushy. Add the remaining lentils, molasses, harissa, salt, pepper and PULSE ONLY a 4-5 times for a seond or so each time until mixture is combined. Do not keep the pulse button pressed down.
Remove to a large mixing bowl and add the bread crumbs, green onions & the feta.
Cook's Note: The quantity of breadcrumbs you will need will vary - you need just enough to make the mixture pliable yet firm enough to form into patties that will retain their shape.
Taste and adjust seasonings in the lentil mixture. Using a 1/2 cup measure, measure and form into patties, pressing so the mixture sticks together and retains its shape.
Spread the cornmeal on a plate and flip patty gently on both sides to coat with a thin cornmeal layer. Repeat until all patties and formed and coated with cornmeal.
Heat a flat cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs ghee and heat until very hot.
Place 2-3 patties on the skillet without over crowding. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
With a thin metal spatula or turner, flip the patties over and repeat until both sides are golden brown.
Serve on burger, pretzel or kaiser buns if desired.
Once all the the patties are pan fried to a golden brown, wipe the pan down with a kitchen paper rowel. Add a little more ghee and sear the buns cut side buns until golden around the edges.
Smear the buns with the dressing and top with lentil patty or go the other way around! Finish with red onions, letuce and tomatoes.
Enjoy!
Recipe for:
Mediterranean Lentils Burgers with Pomegranate Molasses & Feta
Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Shopping list:
3 cups cooked Green lentils (drained and cooled)
1/2 Spanish red onion
1/2 small red bell pepper
5 cloves peeled garlic
3/4 cup packed parsley or cilantro leaves
1-1/2 tsp Harissa chili paste or any other red chili paste
1 tbs Pomegranate molasses
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4-1/3 cup store bought breadcrumbs
1/3 cup crumbled French or Greek Feta
3 stalks green onions (scallions)
2-3 tbs Clarified butter (ghee) for pan frying
1/3 cup cornmeal
Dressing:
1/2 cup good quality Mayo like Hellmans
1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tsp Harissa or chilli paste
3/4 tsp roasted ground cumin (preferably home-made)
2 tbs crumbled French or Greek Feta
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
Preparation:
Red onion: Peel, discard skins and ends.
Green onions: Cut away the root and cut into thin circles using only the white and light green parts.
Red bell pepper: De-seed, discard membranes and cut into big chunks
Sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, whisk and refrigerate until ready to use.
Method:
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the onions, red bell pepper, garlic and parsley or cilantro leaves. Process for a minute or so until finely chopped.
Add 1-1/4 cup of the lentil and process until mushy. Add the remaining lentils, molasses, harissa, salt, pepper and PULSE ONLY a 4-5 times for a seond or so each time until mixture is combined. Do not keep the pulse button pressed down.
Remove to a large mixing bowl and add the bread crumbs.
Cook's Note: The quantity of breadcrumbs you will need will vary - you need just enough to make the mixture pliable yet firm enough to form into patties that will retain their shape.
Taste and adjust seasonings in the lentil mixture. Using a 1/2 cup measure, measure and form into patties, pressing so the mixture sticks together and retains its shape.
Spread the cornmeal on a plate and flip patty gently on both sides to coat with a thin cornmeal layer. Repeat until all patties and formed and coated with cornmeal.
Heat a flat cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs ghee and heat until very hot.
Place 2-3 patties on the skillet without over crowding. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
With a thin metal spatula or turner, flip the patties over and repeat until both sides are golden brown.
Serve on burger, pretzel or kaiser buns if desired.
Once all the the patties are pan fried to a golden brown, wipe the pan down with a kitchen paper rowel. Add a little more ghee and sear the buns cut side buns until golden around the edges.
Smear the buns with the sauce and top with lentil patty. Finish with red onions, letuce and tomatoes.
Enjoy!
