CHEF RANDY’S LIFE OF SPICE chick pea veggie burgers I like to make these for guests. Fresh, sprouted beans provide a number of micronutrients and are high in dietary fiber. They are also well known for being rich in iron. One cup, for example, provides 25 percent of your average daily iron needs. If you can’t find sprouted chickpeas, you can substitute two cans of garbanzo beans. Make the patties a day or two ahead of time, store covered in the refrigerator and cook when you need them for quick, nutritious meal. For a change, make them 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter and serve on a fresh mini-bagel instead of a regular hamburger bun.
INGREDIENTS: 2 1/2 cups sprouted chickpeas 4 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup fresh cilantro (chopped) 1 medium white onion (chopped ) Grated zest of one large lemon 1 cup alfalfa sprouts (chopped) 1 cup toasted whole-grain bread crumbs 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
D I R EC T I O N S :
Randy Graham is a noted chef and writer and has been a lactoovo vegetarian for over 38 years. Chef Randy has written and published a series of seven cookbooks with original recipes developed over the period 1975 through 2020. He writes for the Ojai Quarterly, the Ojai Monthly, and the California 101 Travelers Guide. His vegetarian recipes are published in newspapers throughout Central California under the header, Chef Randy. He and his wife, Robin, live in Ojai, California, with their dog Cooper. Robin and Cooper are not vegetarians.
Healthy
Spring / Summer
Quick + Easy
Steam the sprouted garbanzo beans until just tender - about 10 minutes. Combine the garbanzos, eggs, and salt in a food processor. Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cilantro, onion, zest, and sprouts. Add the breadcrumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a moist mixture that you can easily form into one-inch thick patties. Robert and I like a nice, moist patty because it makes for a nicely textured burger. You can always add more breadcrumbs, a bit at a time, to firm up the dough if need be. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium low and cook patties for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove cooked patties from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties. Serve with a standard setup of lettuce, tomato and onion and don’t forget your favorite secret sauce! If you don’t have a good recipe for secret sauce, send me an email and I’ll send you mine.
Vegetarian
OM — May 2021
25
