Winter Veggie Burger, Helicopter Confession, Theatre Superstitions

by Marcus Wareing from Marcus at Home (Harper Collins)

Just because you don't eat meat or you choose to have a meat-free meal shouldn't mean you have to miss out on the opportunity of indulging in a decent burger. This is full of amazing earthy flavours the addition of quinoa gives it a good protein content you don't get in many veggie burgers. Make sure you serve this in a decent bun. I like to use brioche burger buns, especially when they are toasted lightly to bring out their sweetness. Some smoky Applewood cheese melting over the top of the burger is a must, as is a dollop of onion marmalade or relish garlicky aioli or mayo.

Makes 8

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

100g quinoa

300g celeriac, grated

olive oil for frying

250g chestnut mushrooms, cut into 1cm dice

2 x 400g tins cannellini or butter beans, drained

10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

10g thyme leaves

200g mozzarella cheese, grated

125g dried panko breadcrumbs

sea salt freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

8 brioche burger buns, cut in half

Applewood cheese, sliced (or any smoked Cheddar)

Onion Marmalade (see recipe below) or tomato ketchup

Roast Garlic Aioli (see recipe below) or garlic mayonnaise

Method

Put the quinoa 200ml of water in a saucepan bring to the boil over high heat, then boil for 1 min. Reduce the heat to low, cover leave to cook for 12 mins. Remove from the heat allow to sit for 5 mins with the lid on. Fork through the quinoa to separate the grains leave to cool.

Arrange the celeriac in a steamer set above a pan of simmering water steam for 3 mins. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess moisture leave to cool.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan cook the mushrooms until golden any moisture has evaporated. Leave to cool.

Transfer the cooled quinoa, celeriac mushrooms to a food processor add the beans, tarragon, thyme mozzarella. Pulse-blend until the mixture comes together. Season well fry a little of the mixture in oil to check for seasoning. Divide the mixture into 8 patties lightly coat in breadcrumbs. Chill in the fridge for at least 30mins to firm up.

Pour olive oil to come 1cm up the side of a frying pan place over a medium heat. Fry the patties (you may need to do this in batches) until golden on each side heated through.

Heat a grill to medium-high. Lightly toast the cut sides of the brioche buns. Top the burgers with cheese grill to melt.

To assemble the burger, spread some onion marmalade on the bottom halves of the buns sit the burgers on top. Add a spoon of Roast Garlic Aioli top with the bun lid.

Onion Marmalade

Makes approx.: 350ml

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 onions, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

150ml white wine vinegar

200g caster or granulated sugar

1 tsp black onion seeds (nigella seeds)

2 tsp mustard seeds

4 black peppercorns

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan gently sauté the onions garlic until softened but not coloured. Add the cumin continue to sauté for 1 minute before adding the vinegar, 75ml of water, the sugar, onion seeds, mustard seeds peppercorns. Cook over moderate heat until the liquid has evaporated.

Leave the onion mix to cool. When cold, the marmalade is ready to use.

Roast Garlic Aioli

Makes: approx. 250ml

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients

2 garlic bulbs

175ml olive oil, plus extra to rub

3 egg yolks

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

½ tsp Dijon mustard

50ml vegetable oil

squeeze of lemon juice

sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/ gas 4.

Remove a quarter of the top of the garlic. Sit the garlic in a piece of foil rub with a little olive oil some salt. Wrap roast in the oven for 45mins.

When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the soft-roasted garlic into a bowl. Mash with the back of a fork until completely smooth. Cover set aside to cool completely.

Put the egg yolks in a bowl using a balloon whisk, mix in the vinegar Dijon mustard. Put both oils in a jug slowly drizzle into the egg yolk mixture, continuously whisking as you do so. When you have a thick mayonnaise consistency, stir in the garlic purée season with salt a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. If not using straight away, store in the fridge where it will keep for up to 3 days.