Boom Night Burgers

My Fourth of July saga continues...

When my children were younger - MUCH younger - they called the Fourth of July "Boom Day".
This said with just a touch of anxiety, as it usually consisted of a long, hot, expensive, confusing and claustrophobically-crowded day at some waterfront celebration toting my toddlers in strollers or backpacks; concluding with dramatic fireworks exploding out of the dark, accompanied by booming live patriotic music.

All of which scared my poor over-tired darlings half to death, made them cry, sent us home early and ruined the evening's intended effect for those unfortunate souls who chose to "party" next to us...

Great holiday memories. Don't laugh, you have them too...

But my children are older and I'm wiser (or maybe just anti-social) and a "quiet" Independence Day celebration at home sounded like just the thing. But, fickle offspring that they are, two of the Sprouts deserted me at the last minute for better offers, you know... camping, the beach, friends, etc. and "Boom Day" ended up as a pleasantly quiet Vegan picnic lunch in the park.

Late that evening though, as it began to get dark and neighbors for miles around started their personal pyrotechnic displays, my oldest decided we should sit out on the patio, do burgers and corn over the fire and enjoy the free show.
And quite a show it was.

Our back yard and patio overlook a large valley filled with homes, and each of these homes must have had several hundred dollars worth of (often illegal) explosives to burn.

Nevertheless, it was beautiful, spectacularly loud and lit up the sky for THREE hours.
Much better than fighting crowds!
We got to poke sticks in the fire, watch the show, no 'Beer Garden' rules, play with the camera, and dinner was right in front of us! Turned out to be a rare and crazy-fun evening with my oldest 'Sprout'. Cherish those moments when you have them.


Now, back to the food.
Roasted corn is pretty easy over the fire, just peel back the husks, remove the silk, put husks back, wrap in foil and lay in the coals for a bit.
On the other hand, vegan burgers, that will work on the grill, create a bit of a challenge. I tend to prefer homemade, with a bit of actual "vegetables" in them, and I'm not a fan of black bean burgers, so...

Through trial and error I concocted a pretty good "burger" that I cook into big, firm patties ahead of time, freeze and then pop on the grill to warm up. They hold together well, look "burger-like" and don't have that charred-oatmeal-bean-vegetable taste when you're done. I've had confirmed omnivores eat them with gusto.

Vegan Burgers That Grill Nicely

• 1/2 cup dry TVP, reconstituted in boiling water (you'll have about 1 cup) OR use about 1 cup some commercial "burger-crumbles"
• 1 large onion, minced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 C. grated carrot or zucchini (or a mix of both)
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. molasses (yes! you heard me! the dreaded molasses)
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 C. fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 C. oats
• flax-eggs as needed (3 Tbsp ground flax mixed in 1/2 cup soymilk)
• 1/4 cup besan/chickpea flour
• 2 Tbsp. vital wheat gluten flour
• Seasonings to taste (I use sage, lemon pepper and smoked salt)
• olive oil, as needed

Saute onion and garlic in a lightly greased skillet until onion starts to soften, about five minutes.
Add carrots/zucchini and saute about 10 mins more, til veggies have softened.
Stir in the cumin, cilantro, soy sauce and peanut butter (you can also use tahini). Mix. Remove from heat and let cool 5-10 minutes.

Dump veggie mixture in a medium mixing bowl. Add besan flour and breadcrumbs and mix until well combined. Add "flax-egg" mixture as needed to form a firm, wet mixture. Add your preferred seasonings to taste. Let sit 10 minutes until oats and breadcrumbs soften. Mix again.

Finally, sprinkle in vital wheat gluten flour and stir. It should bind together nicely, but add more breadcrumbs or liquid if needed. The mixture should be firm and substantial, somewhat sticky, not sloppy wet or crumbly.
Shape burgers from mixture. They should hold together pretty well.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add burgers, cover and cook over medium-low about seven minutes a side, until browned, firm and cooked through. (I admit I've shaped these with a Mason-jar ring to get that perfectly round, evenly-thick "burger" shape.)

To grill later: Freeze cooled, cooked burgers. When ready to grill, remove from freezer, brush with oil and place on grill. Cook until browned to your liking and heated through, usually turning once or twice. You do have to be gentle with them, but they should hold together. If they're not cooperating (and sometimes, for whatever reason, they don't) place them on greased foil with holes poked through. You might want to do that anyway if the grill has been used excessively for animal products.

Oatmeal-Tofu Veggie Burgers

I was craving veggie burgers tonight but didn't have the greatest selection of stuff in my pantry. It's amazing and amusing what can happen when faced with bits of this and that.

I combined ideas from previous burger-making recipes to go with what I had to work with: firm tofu, some oatmeal, a few nuts, shredded carrots and onions and stuff, and then smushed it all together in the food processor.

Sorta turned to mush, but the texture held together nicely.

This attempt isn't my finest burger, they're awfully flat and thin, but my kids liked them and they did turn out quite tasty, I think you'll enjoy them.

Oatmeal-Tofu Burgers

1 package firm, water-packed tofu, drained and mashed a bit
1/4 cup pecans
3 large white mushrooms, chopped (not portabellos)
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 Tbsp gluten flour (like you make seitan with)
1/4 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 a medium white or yellow onion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sesame or sunflower seeds

Mix in the bowl of the food processor by pulsing on and off, until well mixed, but try not to turn into complete paste.

Stir in seasonings.
Season with:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 tsp sage
couple shakes black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or one crushed clove
1 tsp onion powder

You may want to taste and make sure they are salty enough, add some if needed, they will be more bland after cooking.

Form about 6 large patties or if too moist, just spoon into a circle in a hot, well oiled skillet, and cook slowly over medium heat. Cook the first side with the lid on, then remove lid for the second side.

My kids ate these before I got a chance to take a picture of one on a bun all purdy with all the "fixins"... so just imagine that part. They'd be good baked with a mushroom gravy I bet, too!