I went into my pantry this week to see what kind of burger I could whip up without going to the store (more or less), and I found these beautiful French green lentils!
I was told these lentils are a bit heartier than “plain” green lentils, and I definitely agree. I simmered these in water for 20-25 minutes, and they still had a healthy bite, but they held together well too. I soaked my first batch for a few hours before I cooked them, and I really couldn’t tell a difference between not soaking at all.
When I cook lentils I love to use different veggies, and I pretty much always use onion, carrot, and garlic. So for the base of this burger, I used sauteéd onion and raw carrot.
I was going to add some garlic, but I realized I had some Texas Black Gold Garlic in the fridge. This garlic is grown in San Antonio and caramelized for 1-2 months in controlled heat and humidity. The result is umami and complex, with sweet and pungent notes that add depth of flavor.
That sums up the wet ingredients of this burger, along with my seasonings:
- French green lentils
- sauteéd red onion
- raw chopped carrot
- Texas Black Gold garlic puree
- unrefined salt
- fresh black pepper
- thyme – another lentil classic
Now, let us add dry ingredients to this delicious mix! To bind this patty, I added oyster mushroom powder and whole wheat breadcrumbs.
I got the Oyster Mushroom Powder
at the farmer’s market from Flying Saucer Farms. This dried and ground oyster mushroom provides another level of savory comfort to this burger.
The mushroom is complemented well by the right amount of unrefined salt. It’s still fairly warm in Houston, so we should continue to avoid salty dishes for the time being.
To make whole wheat bread crumbs:
I left some experimental burger buns in a brown bag for 3 days, cut crouton-sized pieces, baked in olive oil at 300º for 15-20 minutes, and food processed until fine.
Once I added these ingredients, the patties were forming well and holding together, so I took them to the grill!
Suggested Late Summer cooking method – sear and steam
After I seared both sides, I added a bit of water to the pan and let the burgers steam. I think this helped the burgers to hold together better – and avoid a messy burger bite. I flipped them twice more after steaming.
On my last flip, I added some Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda cheese.
Now the exciting part, adding the toppings, and the taste test!
Mustard and Tomato: classic toppings done right
I was planning to do some mustard experiments, then I stumbled on a local mustard company here in Houston – Revival Provisions! I used their Old Faithful mustard on a burger, and it was so much more flavorful than the yellow mustard I had in my pantry. I wanted to hear more about their product, so I decided to reach out to them for a taste test!
Jacob and Aubry put a lot of care into their mustards!
Hear the recipes behind the three mustards we added to our burgers: Old Faithful, Jon Di Baptist, and Spicy Sinner
I really enjoy the flavors of these mustards.
- Old Faithful is a classic yellow, but I could feel a healthy spice in my nose every few bites. Quite a bit of unapologetic flavor.
- Jon Di Baptist is a spicy dijon made with rosé cider, tarragon, and shallots. Amazing flavors you can’t find anywhere else!
- Spicy Sinner is a horseradish mustard made with local St. Arnold’s Guten Tag lager! Perfect for the Oktoberfest season.
I really can’t wait to try the rest of these mustards!
BF Tomato Jam Batch #1
I had some Atkinson Farms tomatoes left from the Great Vegan Cook-off Vol. 3, and I made tomato jam. I used unrefined sugar, apple cider vinegar, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and allspice. Batch #1 was a success!
Use a thick layer of tomato jam on the bottom bun. You will notice pockets of sweet and spicy flavor as your burger disappears.
#2 will swap out the cumin for ginger/turmeric, and dried thai chili for cayenne.
What are your classic burger toppings?
I used verdegreens red butter leaf lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles.
Check out the video and scroll back up for the recipe!
French Green Lentil Burger
Equipment
- Food processor
- Cast iron skillet
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
French Green Lentil Patty
- 1.5 cup French green lentils, dry 2 cups cooked
- 1 red onion
- 1 carrot
- 1.5 tbsp black garlic puree
- 2 tbsp oyster mushroom powder or other dried mushroom powder
- 3/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp unrefined salt
Burger Toppings
- 4 burger buns
- Revival Provisions mustard or other local choice
- Tomato Jam ketchup okay
- 4 slices Follow Your Heart gouda
- lettuce
- 1 tomato sliced
- pickles
- red onion sliced
Instructions
French Green Lentil Patties
- Cover rinsed French green lentils with 2 inches of water and simmer for 20-25 minutes until just tender.
- Cut red onion into chunks and place in food processor. Pulse red onion until fine. Sauté in a cast iron with olive oil or water until caramelized – 6-8 minutes.
- Cut carrot into cubes. In food processor, pulse carrot into medium pieces. Add French green lentils and pulse mixture until about 60% of lentils are broken.
- Remove lentil-carrot mixture and add cooked red onion. Add black garlic puree, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add oyster mushroom powder and bread crumbs. Mix to combine.
- Separate mixture into 4 balls. Shape into patties by hand or burger press.
Cook Your Burger
- Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add avocado oil or Earth Balance, and place 2 patties in skillet.
- Flip patties after 3 minutes. Side should have a light golden-brown sear. Adjust temperature accordingly.
- Sear second side for 3 minutes, then flip. Add 1-2 tbsp water to the edge of the cast iron, careful not to disturb the sear on the bottom of the patties. Cover and steam for 4 minutes, flipping half-way through.
- Sear both sides one last time for 2 minutes each. On last flip, add Follow Your Heart smoked gouda or other plant-based cheese to melt.
Assemble Your Burger
- Toast your burger buns in the toaster oven or on the skillet. Lather tomato jam on the bottom bun, and mustard on top.
- Place your burger patty down. Top with red onion, tomato, pickles, and lettuce. Cut in half and dig in!
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