Recipe
Beetroot Falafel Burger with Avocado Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
Makes 4 burgers
For the burger patty:
- 2 medium sized beetroots, grated
- 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
- 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely grated
- 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 medium free range egg
- 2 tsp cumin, ground
- 1 tsp paprika, ground
- 1 small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
- Salt, pepper and olive oil
- 4 seeded burger buns
Burger filling:
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- Lebanese cucumber, sliced lengthways with a peeler
- 2 handfuls baby spinach, washed
Roasted Sesame carrots:
- 750g mixed carrots carrots, quartered lengthways and cut into 5cm long pieces
- 4 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- Salt, pepper and olive oil
For the avocado cream:
- 2 ripe avocados, destoned and crushed with a fork or potato masher
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 1 handful coriander, chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to its highest heat (fan or convection setting). Place the grated beetroot in a roasting tray, combine with 1 tbsp of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the carrots. Add the carrots to a medium-sized roasting tin, sprinkle over the sesame seeds, maple syrup, 1 tbsp of oil, toss and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the oven down to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6 and roast on the middle rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes, turning every once in a while. The carrots should be caramelising around the edges.
- While the carrots are roasting mix the burger patty: add the chickpeas to a large bowl, using a hand held blender or potato masher crush the chickpeas, making sure to leave some larger pieces for texture. Add in the onion, garlic, cooked beetroot, chopped parsley, egg, cumin, paprika, 1 tsp of oil and the breadcrumbs. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 4 even-sized patties, transfer to a plate and chill in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the fillings.
- To make the avocado cream: mix all the ingredients together, making sure to season generously, then set aside until ready to use.
- Prepare the salad fillings and set aside.
- Cook the burgers: heat two 2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan on medium heat.
- Cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side until crunchy and browned.
- Finally, assemble the burger: Cut the buns in half, add some spinach, the burger patty, a dollop of avocado cream and pile on the tomato and avocado. Serve the burger with the sesame roasted carrots on the side and any leftover avocado cream as a dip.