This recipe makes 6 patties. The idea is to produce a simple, flavorful substrate that can be dressed in unlimited ways like a traditional burger. Adding egg and baking the mix produces plump yet light patties with enough structural integrity to fry or grill. The parmesan cheese mimics meat marbling in appearance and flavor.
The recipe is named in honor of Apollo for the supportive function of the eggs, and he was a chicken, the original cosmic chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned black beans (salted), rinsed and dried
- 1 cup Crimini mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, chopped
- 1/4 cup unsalted pine nuts, ground
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 eggs
Mixing the Ingredients
In a food processor, blend the beans, mushrooms, olives, pine nuts, eggs, garlic and salt, leaving some of the texture from the ingredients. Transfer the blend to a mixing bowl, add the parmesan cheese and mix gently with a spoon to preserve the structure of the cheese.
Baking the Patties
On a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spoon the mix into 6 burger sized patties, then bake on the center rack at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the patties to cool for a few minutes before removing them from the tray.
The patties can be eaten without further cooking, but I prefer to pan fry them in a little peanut oil for a couple of minutes per side.
