Mmmmarvelous Mmmmushroom Burgers

I found an incredibly simple recipe for Portobello Mushroom Burgers on the website http://www.allrecipes.com/. Portobellos are SO meaty you really forget you’re not eating meat at all. Another great recipe to use to reduce the amount of animal protein in your diet.

Portobello Mushroom Burgers
4 portobella mushroom caps
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.

Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Brush grate with oil. Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently.

For side dishes I served mixed greens with leftover dressing from Sunday night (see blog for salad dressing recipe) and a Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cilantro Dressing. I was lucky enough that someone gave me a whack of cherry tomatoes from their garden just that morning so took the liberty of enjoying their freshness right away.

Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cilantro Dressing
(recipe from Clean Food by Terry Walters with some modifications)
2 pounds cherry tomatoes
3 cups cooked chickpeas*
4-5 scallions, chopped

Dressing:
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 large bunch cilantro (about 1 cup)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut tomatoes in half and place in large bowl with chickpeas and scallions.

Put all dressing ingredients in a jar and process with an immersion/stick blender.

Pour dressing over salad, toss to coat, and serve.

*This is when it’s handy to have cooked chickpeas that you’ve cooked up a large batch, portioned, and put in your freezer – or use canned.

Burger "King"

(Photo from http://www.barefootcontessa.com/)

There's nothing like a good burger -- and this is a great burger. The recipe is from Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) from her cookbook Back to Basics. I've just made a switch in the recipe using bison instead of beef. Please be sure to make the carmelized onions. They are a must!

Niman Ranch Burgers (with some modifications)
2 pounds ground bison
1 tablespoon good Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the grill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 hamburger buns, halved
Good mayonnaise
Caramelized Onions, recipe follows

Build a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill.

Place the ground bison in a large bowl and add the mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with a fork to combine, taking care not to compress the ingredients. Shape the meat into 6 (3 1/2-inch) patties of equal size and thickness.

When the grill is medium-hot, brush the grill grate with oil to keep the burgers from sticking. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 4 minutes. Using a big spatula, turn the burgers and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until medium-rare or more, or cook longer if you prefer hamburgers more well done.

Meanwhile, break apart the hamburger buns and toast the 6 halves cut side down on the grill. Spread each half with mayonnaise and top with a burger and then with a heaping tablespoon of caramelized onions. Serve hot.

Caramelized Onions
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds yellow onions, peeled and sliced in half-rounds
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large shallow pot, add the onions and thyme, and toss with the oil. Place the lid on top and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes to sweat the onions. Remove the lid and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown. If the onions are cooking too fast, lower the heat. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes, scraping the brown bits from the pan. Season to taste (they should be very highly seasoned).

Hamburger Heaven

After cooking out of the Everyday Indian cookbook the other night, I had a little rifle through the book as it's been awhile since I used it and I came across a little burger recipe calling for ground buffalo. The Indian spices make these burgers aromatic and flavourful. To accompany the burgers we had a green salad with lettuce from a little farm over on No. 2 Road along with local radishes, cherry tomatoes and red peppers. Michael put together a balsamic vinaigrette, but isn't giving up his recipe. So here instead is the recipe for the burgers:

Lean Buffalo Burgers (makes 4 patties)
(recipe from Everyday Indian by Bal Arneson)

1 lb. lean ground buffalo
1 egg
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/2 teapsoon salt
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Preheat the barbecue to medium. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix until the spices are evenly distributed. Form into 4 patties.

Place the burgers on the barbecue, and cook until the meat is browned: flip and cook the other side until the burgers are cooked through. Serve on a whole wheat bun with vegetables and condiments of your choice.