I Dream of Veggie Burgers

I imagine that by now, everybody knows of my undying love for Superiority Burger. Brooks Headley and his team are single-handedly responsible for getting a steady stream of farmers' market produce in me. They're in the process of moving to a bigger location, so the old spot's been closed for a few months. I thought I was ok, but I realize I need a satisfying veggie burger in my life right now. After experimenting with some varying results (too mushy, too wet, underseasoned, falls apart), I've finally got a strategy to make a profoundly savory patty with the chew and crusty texture of seared meat.

First, let's go to brown town!

The Maillard reaction occurs when heat is applied to any substance containing amino acids (proteins) and reducing sugars, generous carbohydrates prone to giving away electrons. By losing electrons, countless chemical bonds are formed, creating new color, flavor, and aroma compounds. Long story short, I'm talking about browning. Delicious, delicious browning. It's this browning that makes meat taste, well, meaty. But the Maillard reaction is just as active in vegetables. By deeply charring various veggies and mixing them together, I can create different depths of flavor in one veggie patty.

The cornerstone of my veggie patty is a mix of cabbage, mushroom, yuba, and shallots. I love the intense savoriness deeply caramelized cabbage brings. It becomes meaty without bringing too much sweetness to the table. Mushrooms are here for their intense umami and springy bounce, while yuba is all about the texture, with a satisfying chew reminiscent of meat. It also brings a lot of structure to the patty. Completing the group are shallots, adding some caramelized sweetness to help round out the intensity of the other flavors.

The cabbage, mushroom, yuba, and shallots are all prepped the same way: Cut into small, even pieces, coated in fat, then gently cooked over medium heat while frequently stirring until they break down into flavorful, deeply browned morsels. Because each ingredient takes a varying amount of time to brown (depending on how much water is in them), they need to be cooked separately. The mushroom will take the longest because of its high water content; the yuba will take the least.

Patty it up

I blitz everything together in a food processor, pulsing the mixture in quick bursts. I want everything broken down, with some texture remaining, which will result in a crackly crust when seared. Transfer the crumbles to a bowl, then bind the mixture together by smashing in cooked beans and quinoa. Add a little at a time, breaking and folding them in with a potato masher until everything just holds together. Too much bean paste will result in a mushy patty. Finally, it's time to season it up with salt, pepper, and my favorite savory boosters—nutritional yeast and miso paste. These two ingredients team up and put a bright spotlight on the intense meatiness of my other components.

My mixture holds together without an egg, but if you need some help binding, add an egg or vegan egg substitute. Finally, form the mixture into 7 oz patties and let them dry out in the fridge on a rack for at least a few hours. This drying of the outside will help with the browning of my patty when it's finally time to sear.

And now we burger…

I sear my patty in a hot cast iron pan with neutral oil. Once it is crisp and crusty on both sides, I put it in a 350F oven to warm through. I like my burgers simply dressed—a little herby mayo with some pickly things mixed in, thin shreds of crisp lettuce, all on a soft, buttery bun.

This patty is so meaty and hearty, loaded with texture inside and out from the yuba, mushrooms, quinoa, and crust. Although it did take time to properly cook all of the components, I think it's worth it. Probably worth it enough for me to make a larger batch next time to store the formed patties in the freezer for tough times.

How do you veggie burger? Got any tips for my next brown town adventure?

See ya!

sohla