Well I have been talking to myself and my guy for several years about finding / trying a recipe to add a bean burger to our regular menu.
I think I nailed it here - Deane says it is a keeper and don't change it, at least for this version.
I've read so many recipes over those years with many comments about "too crumbly", "too dry", "no flavor" etc.
I NEED to add more beans to my meal planning for 3 reasons:
1) Deane has never met a bean he does not like,
2) I have not been crazy about beans in general, having grown up with overly sweet bean bakes, and
3) Beans are really healthy and need to be part of our regular diet.
So my challenge as always has been to find recipes using beans that I will want to eat. I can rely on Deane eating any bean dish I make :-)
He would eat a pot of beans, unflavored with just salt and I would be like the kid in that old commercial trying to eat without tasting or swallowing. You get the picture, I need beans to have flavors I like and generally not taste 'beany".
I have made winning recipes in the past. And I love a good bean and cheese burrito or a really good bean dip made with cheese and salsa.
Probably my most favorite bean which I could eat all the time is edamame. I added it to my bean chili recipe below. The chili recipe came about because I wanted a traditional mid-Mexico version of chili which does NOT use tomatoes in any form, relying on the chili spices.
(I love tomatoes, tomato sauce etc. but I do not like that tomato sauce etc. is the go-to flavoring for people who do not experiment with the wonderful flavors of herbs and spices.)
My Black Bean Humus
Another Humus Recipe - Garbanzo Beans and Artichoke Hearts
Catherine's Potato, Pasta, Bean & Chicken Soup
My Bean Chili
But I really wanted to find a "bean burger" recipe which I could put together easily, did not crumble and had really good flavor for me, i.e., did not taste 'beany."
So to my recipe for burger/sausage.
I was thinking more sausage for this first attempt which means a light "meat" taste so I combined Cannellini Beans with poultry seasoning as the base. Why? Because this seasoning blend usually has some great herbs and spices in it, just perfect for pairing with mild beans.
Many of you may remember I developed my own line of salt-free herb/spice blends some years ago (not available now). One of them was my Poultry Seasoning which contained Rosemary, Thyme, Greek Oregano, Marjoram, Rubbed Sage, Pepper & Ginger.
I went light with the garlic and onion just for a bit of extra flavor without overpowering the other flavors.
I have already started planning my next Bean Burger and I will go towards a robust burger flavor probably with black beans and rosemary as the base. When I get around to trying it out I will post on the results.
My Bean Burger/Sausage Recipe
1 15 oz. can of Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed well
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons of oat flour (old fashioned oats whirled in blender)
2 drops of liquid smoke
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Oil for frying - I used avocado oil
Pre-heat pan on stove.
In a food processor pulse beans to course texture with some smooth. You want some beans left broken up not all pureed. Transfer to a bowl.
In a separate bowl mix oat flour and seasonings. Sprinkle over beans, add egg and mix well.
Add oil to hot pan wait for it to heat up.
With your hands form patties. Keep them about even in size. Drop in hot pan and press lightly to reduce height to about 1/2 inch thickness.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes then flip and cook for another 3/4 minutes or until done to your liking.
Notes: Deane loved them! My first bite I was not too sure, then added a bit more salt and then we proceeded to eat two each!
Using the oat flour and egg made for an excellent bind. I knew the beans would mash nicely but needed binding and choosing oats was because I want to add more oats to our meals when possible. I have recipes for "savory oatmeal" as a side dish in place of rice or pasta (search the blog here for savory oatmeal and see all the ideas from breakfast, to lunch to dinner).
I also went with only dry ingredients except the egg to keep the burger from being too wet to cook properly. While I love my fresh herbs from the garden, they would not work as well in this form. Better to pile on after cooking.
Because I was thinking sausage, we tried a couple of taste additions - how would this be with eggs in the morning?
A tiny bit of maple syrup (nope), he tried a bit of Molasses (nope). We both settled on a dab of Grey Poupon mustard (me more than he on that). AND I would not let him put ketchup on them :-)
We did eat these with some avocado slices and cherry tomatoes on the side, a nice compliment.
So, one option the next time is a slice of nice tomato on a plate topped with this "bean sausage" patty and topped with a fried egg. I also want to try it as a sandwich spread with mustard and a pile of greens and herbs from the garden.
I hope you find this recipe interesting enough to try.
Have a best day in the garden and kitchen,
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
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