Mushroom + Buckwheat Burger
Recipe makes 8 to 10 burgers
Ingredients + Cooking
Recipe is Vegan and Gluten Free if served as the recipe indicates.
Start the buckwheat a day ahead to allow for appropriate soaking time:
3 cups Water
½ tsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 ½ cup Raw Buckwheat Groats (NOT Kasha which is roasted buckwheat)
Combine the water, salt and vinegar in a saucepan and heat on high for 2 to 3 minutes; the water should be between 130 and 140F. Turn off the heat, stir in the buckwheat and cover the pot. Let the quinoa soak over night, or for at least 6 hours, to adequately break down the phytic acid. The buckwheat will have a foam form on the top of the soaking water and give off a slight fermentation smell; this is the natural process of the grain breaking down to make it more digestible and appropriate for a vegan diet. When the soaking time is completed, heat the buckwheat and its soaking liquid over high heat to bring it to a boil. Keep the pot covered and reduce the heat to the second lowest setting on the stove. Cook the buckwheat for 12 to 14 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave the buckwheat to sit and rest in the covered pot for at least 10 minutes. This resting time will soften the grains.
For the roasted yam (or sweet potato):
You will need to start with 1 medium or large Yam (or sweet potato)
You will need one medium or large sweet potato with the skin on. Preheat the oven to 400F convection. Place the whole sweet potato on a baking pan and place it in the oven to roast for 20 to 35 minutes until a knife slices into the center of the potato with very little resistance. Remove the yam from the oven and let it cool. Peel off and discard the skin. Measure out 1½ cups of the roasted yam; any extra yam can be saved for another use. Place the measured yam in a mixing bowl and use a spoon to mash it to a smooth consistency. Mix the cooked buckwheat into the mashed yam. Transfer half of this quinoa mixture to the small bowl of a food processor, reserve until the mushrooms are cooked.
***Do not pierce the potato with a fork or knife before putting it in the oven to roast. There is a misconception about the skin of a potato, sweet potato or yam needing to be pierced before it is cooked to prevent it from exploding during the cooking process. The need to pierce a root vegetable may apply if you are cooking it in the microwave but it certainly does not apply to roasting them in the oven. Once the roasted yam has a split in its skin the sticky sugary juices will start to seep out, this is an indicator that the yam is cooked through correctly.
To assemble the burgers:
6 ounces Fresh Mushroom such as Oyster, Shiitake, Cremini, Lion’s Mane or a mixture, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
4 Tb. Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Substitute, such as Bob’s Red Mill brand
1 tsp. Granulated Onion
1 tsp. Smoked Sweet Paprika
1 tsp. Granulated Garlic
1 tsp. Dried Parsley
½ tsp. Kosher Salt
½ tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper
Heat a wide sauté pan over medium high heat; when hot add enough grapeseed oil or coconut oil to the pan to lightly coat the bottom. Add all of the mushrooms and sauté until they are tender and lightly browned. Transfer half of the mushrooms to the food processor with the reserved buckwheat and yam. Then add all of the remaining ingredients in the above list also to the food processor. Run the processor until the mixture is finely chopped with an even texture.
Transfer the other half of the cooked shiitakes to the mixing bowl with the plain roasted yam and cooked buckwheat; stir to blend evenly.
Add all of the pureed mixture from the food processor to the mixing bowl. Stir everything together to make a smooth burger consistency. Divide the burger batter into 8 or 10 portions and form into half-inch thick patties.
Burgers can be individually wrapped at this point and either refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
To serve the burgers, they can either be baked at 350F convection for 10 to 12 minutes or they can be sautéed in oil in a wide sauté pan until crispy on each side. Serve burgers on gluten free buns, or burgers can be wrapped in lettuce or Swiss chard leaves. Top with your favorite aioli, mustard or hot sauce.
***For a more firm texture to the burgers you can add a whole raw egg to the buckwheat and yam mixture in the food processor step. This will disqualify the burgers as vegan but would still be appropriate for an egg friendly vegetarian. Slices of cheese can also be added to the cooked burgers for a dairy friendly vegetarian option.