Chickpea Burgers

Here is the first of what is sure to be many vegetarian burgers. I am on a quest to find a veggie version as good as the one at The North Star. THAT burger is by far my fave. This one has some similar spice elements, but a different texture. Alas, though it needs some tweaking, I think it's a keeper. I clipped it from the Winnipeg Free Press at some point in time, when, I haven't a clue.

[Edit: Jon found the recipe on the WFP website here. It was from Jan 6, 2010!]

The Process

This is a super easy recipe. I made the hummus-like mixture first in the food processor. When it came time to puree, things didn't seem to want to get going. It seemed dry. So, I added a little more olive oil. And a little more.And a little more. Things were starting to move, but I was worried about taste becoming a little much, so I added a little bit of water. I should mention here that I used dry chickpeas that I cooked myself, instead of canned. You get waaay more bang for your buck, but this may have contributed to the dryness. Anyhoo, this tasted amazing when blended, and, as the notes on the recipe suggested, this would make a great hummus if you stopped right here.

Next I folded in the remaining red pepper, parsley, and rice. I couldn't find brown basmati rice, so I used regular.

I formed 6 good sized patties. Now here where things get a little dicey. The recipe says you can bake the patties or, for crispiness, pan-fry them. I chose the latter. Now, the patties are soft, but I was hoping that once they crisped up they would hold together. The problem was, they didn't really crisp. They browned, but did not get crispy. So, on with the show. Served them on like-sized buns (you could also use a pita) with lettuce and a little curry mayo (you could add whatever).

The Verdict

Sooo yummy!!!!!!!!! Though likened at times to a vegetarian sloppy joe, these burgers are good. Tons of flavor. We were left wanting for a little texture (the absent crispiness). A pita may be a better idea, as thoughts of falafel wafted through my mind occasionally. I will definately make these again, but with some tweaking. I will try to make a more solid patty, but no need to play with the flavor!

The Final Verdict

Kimmie 4 sesame seed out of 5
Jonnie 3 sesame seeds out of 5