Author Notes
When I first heard about this contest, I thought of all the meat-less dishes that, when I ate them in the past, I just felt that there was something missing . . . that je ne sais quoi flavor that meat brings to the party. I love alternative burgers and I'll often order a non-meat one at a restaurant. Black bean burgers are almost always lacking. Dry, crumbly, and uninteresting. Not this fiesta burger! (fiesta because of the medley of flavors and the beautiful colors). Chorizo amps up the black bean which is accented by sweet corn and red peppers. I only use one link of chorizo for 8 burgers and once the chorizo is cooked - its blended with the beans, so only the flavor remains - no meat texture. I used the salty halloumi cheese - but if you can't find it - you could substitute melted manchego. I have found in the past that black bean burgers struggle to stay combined while cooking - to address that issue, I used 3 eggs to bind witha mix of cornmeal (flavor) and panko (texture) in the mix. —meganvt01
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Ingredients
- Burgers
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2
15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
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1
ear corn, kernels cut from the cob
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1
link chorizo - I used fresh chorizo, not the dried kind
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1/2 cup
sweet onion, chopped
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2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
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2
cloves garlic, minced
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1/2 cup
red bell pepper, small diced
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1 teaspoon
cumin, ground
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1/4 cup
cilantro, chopped
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3
large eggs, beaten
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1/2 cup
cornmeal
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1/3 cup
panko breadcrumbs
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8
slices (1/2 inch) halloumi cheese
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8
handfuls of mixed baby greens
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8
good burger rolls, like brioche or challah
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1 teaspoon
olive oil
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2
heirloom tomatoes, sliced
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kosher salt
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1
lime, zested
- Chipotle Lime Mayo
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1/3 cup
mayo (good quality)
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1
chipotle chili in adobo, seeded and finely minced
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2 teaspoons
adobo sauce
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1 tablespoon
ketchup
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1
lime - zested and juiced
Directions
- Burgers
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In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic.
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Add the chorizo, breaking it up with the back of a fork. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
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Remove the chorizo, garlic, onion mixture and place in the bowl of your food processor.
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Add the corn and red pepper to the skillet and cook until the kernels are tender - about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.
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To the food processor (chorizo mix), add 1 can of the black beans, cumin, and lime zest. Pulse until the mixture is combined, a bit chunky but mostly blended - looking like almost done pate.
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To the bowl with the corn/pepper add: the blended bean/chorizo/onion mix, cilantro, and the can of unprocessed black beans. Mix well. Season with salt (about 1 teaspoon). Taste and adjust before adding the eggs, panko, and cornmeal. Mix well.
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At this point - depending on how much liquid you had in your beans, you may need to adjust the amount of cornmeal - the mix shouldn't be too runny - it should hold together in a patty - but still be very moist. (if its too dry - give it a squeeze of lime from the lime you used to zest - you may want to do this anyways because its tasty!)
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Heat the large skillet again, with the other tablespoon of olive oil, over medium heat. Form the bean mixture into patties and cook for 4 minutes per side. Don't let the pan get too hot or the cornmeal will burn.
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In a smaller skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil, grill the halloumi cheese over medium heat until browned on both sides.
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Assemble the burgers with a good smear of chipotle mayo, a burger, a slice of tomato, a grilled slice of halloumi, and baby greens.
- Chipotle Lime Mayo
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Combined all ingredients - test for your preferences - adding more chipotle or lime if you prefer one or the other. Chill for 20 - 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
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