Tags
Food, Haemochromatosis, Healtful Cooking, Iron Over Load disease, Lentil Burgers, Lentils, Meatloaf, Polycythemia, variations, Veggie Burgers
AS VARIED AS MAKING MEATLOAF!
Lentil Burgers, and Lentil Loaf is just the meatless version of meatloaf, so widely varied as you want to be with them, you need to experiment just like with meat loaf to get the right amount of binders in it to hold it together, and please experiment with all sorts of ingredients, never stick to one recipe, make your own!
3 cups Dried Lentils
(slightly under cooked to retain shape)
I cooked my lentils for approximately 15 minutes, not wanting them to be over cooked) the usual time is about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and drain, reserving a small amount of liquid to use (if needed)
FINELY CHOP
Celery, Onion, Mushrooms, Italian Parsley, Cilantro, Green Pepper, Fresh Baby Spinach
(the amounts vary according to personal taste, as for me I used 2 ribs Celery, 1 Large Strong Onion (you could use sweet onion) 8 ounces Button Mushrooms, 1 bunch Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, 1 bunch Cilantro and 1 Green Pepper, 2 cups Fresh Spinach
SEASONINGS
Italian Seasoning, Thyme, Chili Powder, Cayenne, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Again according to personal preferences, I tend to go heavy on the seasonings and use less salt in dishes I make, Since this was a larger recipe, made for the freezer, I used a Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning, 2 teaspoons dried Thyme, 1/2 –1 teaspoon Cayenne (good for circulation) and several pinches Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.
BINDERS
1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
(you need to be the judge on the amount, if you really drain the lentils you will need less, but run the risk of adding more liquid taken up by the oatmeal.
1/4 cup Spelt Flour
Some I had not used before, but found at Whole Foods , in the bulk section so was able to buy a small amount. however during research I had noticed several recipes used this a s binding agent. (I mixed mine with the oatmeal before incorporating into the burger mixture.
1-2 Eggs
( lightly beaten or mix the whole eggs with your hands)
Once a gain you be the judge as you are mixing everything.
Mix all together, and personally I find it easier to judge if I need more binders or liquid by chilling the mixture for an hour or two to see if it is going to hold together or is to dry, then adding what I need.
Once mixed the way I want it, I chill a bit, and make the palm sized patties, and place onto parchment lined cookie sheets and place in the chest freezer and individually quick freeze (IQF) them, then bad them in Ziploc sandwich bags and place into a larger freezer bag or Food Saver them
FRYING
I place some oil regular vegetable or olive oil into a skillet with a pat of butter usually for added flavor, the one thing I have learned is to have your skillet on medium high heat and turn down a bit as they fry, DO NOT, try to flip them back and forth, like frying scrapple, you do no want to turn them until they have browned on each side I would say 2-3 minutes per side, (but you be the judge) ,, mine stayed together with only one fatality in the first batch of 39 burgers, (I was starved and did not heed my own advice) LOL
POSSIBLE VARIATIONS OR ADDITIONS
Tomato Paste
Braggs Amino Acids (great added to all your meals)
Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire Sauce
Soy Sauce
Coleman’s Mustard (dried or prepared) Hot English Mustard
Coleman’s Mustard Wikipedia (interesting history)
Actually the sky is the limit on additions, seasonings the recipes I have found have wide in scope, some with Lemon or Lime Juice, fresh Dill, I really think you could make them in a majority of ways. Experimentation like with meat loaf is key!
Notes:
You may also use other Binders as well as egg, oatmeal, such as
Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs
Regular Bread Crumbs
Cracker Meal
Also if you wanted to brown some ground turkey, chicken, or even sausage and mix it through your burger mixture, true it would not be a true veggie burger, but the meat portion would be very small, as the lentils are your meat in the recipe, but the meat would still be there, for those that desire some meat in the diet, just in a more minimal amount!~
CAUTIONS
As I have found out much to my dismay, I cannot eat lentils in the quantities I would like as they are HIGH in Iron, and people on Iron Restrictive Diets should avoid dry beans and lentils. (found out the hard way)
Primarily those that suffer from