Your family will never know the difference…
Take your meat-free healthy eating days to the next level with this delicious, filling vegetarian burger variation.
Ingredients
450g brinjal (about 1-2 brinjals)
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 slices ciabatta (cut from the middle of the loaf)
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 handful flatleaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 handful basil leaves, finely chopped
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for frying
READ MORE: 3 Homemade Gourmet Burger Recipes That’ll Change Your Life
To Serve
English muffins, white or wholewheat, split and toasted
Roasted red peppers, sliced (see box)
125g ball buffalo mozzarella
30g wild rocket leaves
Method
Lay the ciabatta in a shallow bowl, cover with milk and leave to soften.
Remove the stalks from the brinjals, quarter and simmer in salted water (skin and all) until the flesh is just tender – it shouldn’t be grey and mushy, but still white or translucent and holding its shape. Leave to cool.
Squeeze water out of the brinjals and add to a large bowl – you should have 300g. Squeeze the milk out the ciabatta and add. Add the egg, Parmesan, tomato purée and herbs, season and mix together using your hands.
Form into four patties and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry over medium-high heat for about three minutes per side.
Assemble with rocket at the bottom, then the brinjal burger, mozzarella slice and roasted red peppers.
Makes 4. Per 353g serving: 1 588kJ, 12g fat (6g sat), 790mg sodium, 48g carbs, 10g fibre, 13g sugars, 22g protein.
Roasted Red Pepper
Heat your grill to maximum and slide an oven rack into the middle slot. Place two red peppers under the grill, turning, until every side is blistered and charred – you could also do this on the braai. Tip into a bowl, cover with clingwrap and leave to cool. Slip off the skins, deseed, rinse if necessary and slice.
This is exactly how to make the best mushroom burgers. Plus: 5 easy homemade burger relishes – so much better than shop sauces!
