Rocket pesto bean burgers
My (fantastic) local pub does a pretty good vegan bean burger. It's a rich thing, hefty on the cumin and sweet potato, and they serve it with a little avocado. A good time. I have, however, taken to polluting its vegan essence by ordering it with a slab of cheese on top. This is, if anything, an even better time. But you have to pick your cheeses.Sharp cheddar on a bean burger, maybe even Red Leicester or a Wensleydale? Yup, for sure. Mozzarella? Not so much.It ought to work, but the thick, gentle creaminess of the mozzarella just fights the cumin and the spicy/sweet of the dark beans and sweet potato. Hmm. What to do? Could I hack together a bean burger that would be a bit lighter and fit nicely with some melty-gooey cheese?The short answer is "kind of", and the long answer is this week's experimental recipe.
Ingredients:
- Cannellini beans, 1 can (about 250g drained weight)
- Potatoes, 150g (1 medium)
- Onion, 1 small
- Garlic, 2-3 cloves
- Pine nuts, 50g
- Rocket 75g
- Pecorino, 15-20g
- Fresh basil, a small bunch - say 15g
- Olive oil, about 1tbsp
- Lemon, 1
- Plenty of black pepper
- Semolina or breadcrumbs for dusting
- Optional: 1 egg
Makes 2 large patties, or 3 small ones.