Ben Cooper's Melt in your mouth Lentil burgers served with Cranberry and Orange Red Cabbage

March

Artichoke, Beetroot, Cabbage, Carrots, Chicory, Cucumber, Leeks, Parsnip, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sorrel, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Watercress.

Melt in your mouth Lentil burgers served with Cranberry and Orange Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

For the Lentil Burgers

• 60g butter (or vegan margarine) at room temperature
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 150g potato, peeled and cut into roughly 2cm cubes
• 100g sweet potato, peeled and cut into roughly 2cm cubes
• 250g green lentils
• 35g split red lentils
• 20g sunflower seeds
• 35g brazil nuts
• 250g wholemeal bread - 125g for the burger mix and 125g to coat the burgers
• 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• free-range egg (for vegan use 1 tbsp soya flour with 4 tbsp water)
• 3 tbsp on milk (if you are using an egg)

 
For the cabbage:

• 2 tsp butter
• 1 small red onion
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 500g red cabbage, shredded
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
• 3 tbsp dried cranberries

 
To garnish:

• ½ pomegranate (if desired), seeds only

Method:

For the Burgers:

1. To make the garlic butter, in a small bowl mix together the butter or margarine with the parsley and crushed garlic. Work together with a wooden spoon until well combined.
2. Put the garlic butter onto some baking parchment and use the parchment to roll the butter into a log about 5cm long. Wrap in the parchment and chill in the fridge or freezer until firm.
3. In a medium saucepan, cover the potato and sweet potato with water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender depending on their size. Drain well and put to one-side and leave to cool.
4. In a medium saucepan, cover the green lentil  and split red lentils with water (follow the ratio instructions on the packet). Boil together the green and split red lentils until cooked, but not mushy, for approximately 15 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooking add the diced onion. Once cooked, drain well and put to one side.
5. Put the sunflower seeds and brazil nuts in a food processor and blend into coarse crumbs. Alternatively, carefully cut the brazil nuts with a knife, then crush the nuts and seeds in a pestle and mortar.
6. In a food mixer and using the paddle attachment, combine together the potatoes, lentils and onion mix, 125g breadcrumbs, the seed and nut mixture and the rosemary. Mix until everything is evenly mixed. You don’t want the lentils to be fully blended and crushed.
7. To form the burgers, weigh the mixture and divide the mixture evenly into five (or if you like big portions, four!). Take the log of garlic butter from the fridge and cut into five (or even four) slices.
8. Take one portion of the lentil mixture and form into a burger shape. Make a dint in the centre and place a piece of the garlic butter in. Form the lentil mixture round the garlic butter to enclose it, finishing up with a flattened burger shape. Do the same with the rest of the mixture and garlic butter.
9. To coat the burgers, whisk the egg and milk (*or beat together the soya and gram flours, with the water, oil, salt and sugar until smooth). Dip the burgers into the egg (*or soya flour mixture) then into the breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs in well. Chill for 30 minutes.

 For the Cabbage:

1.  Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan and sauté the onion until golden. Add the allspice and cook for a further minute before adding the cabbage.
2. Pour the orange juice into the pan together with the sugar, dried cranberries and orange peel. Cook gently for 30-40 minutes until the cabbage is soft (not soggy). Adding extra water if necessary
3. Just before serving, add the pomegranate and garnish with toasted almonds.

 To cook the burgers:

In a large frying pan, heat the oil on high. When adding the burgers, reduce the heat to medium and fry the burgers on both sides for 4-5 minutes until they are golden and crisp all over. Take care not to split them, otherwise the garlic butter will spill out. 
Serve hot, accompanied with a large serving of red cabbage on the side.