Beans, vegetables, soy protein bulk up burgers

Veggie burger. Now there's an oxymoron if ever there was one.

Sure, they resemble their meaty cousins in shape and size, and yes, you can put them on a bun and dress them up with ketchup, onions and lettuce, but that's where the similarities end. One bite and you're not tempted to compare it to beef. A good veggie burger must stand on its own merits.

Marialisa Calta, author of "Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family" (2005 Perigee), embarked on a mission to find the perfect veggie burger some eight years ago, when her older daughter announced that she would no longer eat meat.

"I responded to this information by cooking dinner as usual, and microwaving a (store-bought) veggie burger for her to eat in place of whatever animal protein the rest of us were having," she writes. "This, I finally realized, was not terribly 'inclusive,' so I worked on developing a repertoire of vegetarian main courses that we all enjoyed. But the recipe for a great veggie burger eluded me."

She recently found one in "The Summertime Anytime Cookbook" by Dana Slatkin (2008 Clarkson Potter, $32.50), owner of Shutters on the Beach, a Santa Monica, Calif., hotel. She calls the burger tasty and terrific, but adds it comes with a warning: It does not hold together well. Do not even think of trying to cook it on a grill.

For a recipe with a nice amount of spicy heat, check out "Burgers" by Sally Sampson, part of Wiley's "Recipe of the Week" (2008, $16.95). This is less labor-intensive and sticks together better.

Yet most veggie burger recipes I came across had the same cohesion issues and recommended sauting and baking as the preferred cooking methods. Just one, a version made with faux ground beef in the form of textured vegetable protein, or TVP, puts itself out as grill-worthy. Add some jalapeno jack cheese and a slice of avocado and you've got yourself a nice burger. My skeptical husband ate two of the TVP variety while my 8-year-old chowed the Seville Burger (sans the olive orange relish, with a slice of Colby) without even questioning it.

Or, if making your own veggie patties isn't your thing, you can always accommodate the vegetarians at your summer cookout by marinating and grilling eggplant slices or portobello mushrooms instead.

Shutters' Vegetarian Burger

Sauce

cup barbecue sauce

¼ up soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons molasses

Burgers

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained

2 cups cooked, cooled brown rice

1 tablespoon oat bran or wheat germ

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons finely chopped canned beets

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking

teaspoon ground cumin

teaspoon chili powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large egg white, beaten with a fork

6 slices Monterey jack or sharp Cheddar cheese (optional)

6 whole-grain or sprouted-wheat buns, for serving

Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles, for garnish

In a small bowl, mix all of the sauce ingredients, stirring until smooth. This makes twice as much as called for in the recipe, because we liked to use it in place of ketchup when serving. If you prefer ketchup or another topping, halve this recipe. Set aside. (If you are refrigerating the burger mix, refrigerate the sauce as well.)

In a large bowl, mash the beans with a potato masher or fork. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the sauce. Stir in the remaining burger ingredients, mixing well before adding the egg whites. If you have time, cover and chill this mixture for several hours or overnight. This helps the burgers stick together, but not enough to prevent you from cooking them immediately if you don't have the time to chill them.

Form into 6 patties each about 1 inch thick. Brush generously with some of the remaining sauce.

Heat the oven to its lowest setting. Cover the bottom of a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet with a film of oil, and heat over medium-high heat until quite hot. Gently place the patties on the skillet (Do not crowd; work in batches if you don't have room) and cook about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the burgers and cook 4 minutes more. Place a slice of cheese on top of each burger if desired, cover the skillet (use a cookie sheet if you don't have a lid), reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Carefully transfer the burgers to a platter and keep warm in the oven.

Split the buns and put them, cut side down, in the skillet to toast. Place the burgers on the buns and serve with garnishes and remaining sauce, if desired.

Serves six

"The Summertime Anytime Cookbook" by Dana Slatkin (2008 Clarkson Potter, PRICE)

Spicy Black-Bean Burgers

4 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained

cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

2 large eggs

4 scallions, both white and green parts minced

3 tablespoons chopped basil or cilantro, or a combination

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1-2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons dried oregano

1-2 teaspoons hot red-pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 split buns

Tomato, lettuce, sliced onion, fresh basil leaves or other condiments of your choice

Place 2 cups of the black beans in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chunky. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining whole black beans and the remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper.

Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form each into a patty about 1-inch thick, tossing it gently back and forth between your hands. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place a cast-iron skillet over high heat, and when it is hot but not smoking, add the burgers. (If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, use a bit of cooking spray so the burgers won't stick.) Sear 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve immediately on buns, with garnishes of your choice.

Serves four.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving (without bun and garnishes): 260 calories, 3.5 g fat (1 g saturated), 42 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 15 g protein, 105 mg cholesterol, 360 mg sodium.

"Burgers" by Sally Sampson (2008 Wiley, $16.95)

Earth burgers

1 block (14 ounces) firm tofu, pressed, see note

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra brushing

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cups sunflower kernels

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon herb and vegetable blend, such as Spike

1 tablespoon white miso

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried basil

3 tablespoons tamari

¼ cup bread crumbs

6 tablespoons water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mash the tofu thoroughly and set aside.

In a medium-size pan, saute the onion, garlic and carrots in 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the canola oil over medium heat until soft but not brown. Transfer to the bowl with the mashed tofu.

Add to the tofu mixture all the remaining ingredients except the water and the oil reserved for brushing.

Process in batches in a food processor until everything is well combined, adding the water one tablespoon at a time until the mixture binds together. Form into -cup burgers.

Place the burgers on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through the baking process to ensure even browning.

After cooking, these burgers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw fully before reheating.

Serves 12.

Cook's note: To press tofu, place a block of tofu between two plates. Place a heavy object (such as a can or two of beans) on top of the top plate and let sit for 30 minutes. Pour off the water and pat the tofu dry.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 230 calories, 13 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 21 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 10 g protein, 0 cholesterol, 280 mg sodium.

"You Won't Believe It's Vegan" by Lacey Sher and Gail Doherty (2008 Lifelong Books, $17.95)

Spicy veggie burger

2/3 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)

1¼ cup vegetable broth

1 egg, beaten

1 cup flour

-1 cup red onion, diced

1 tablespoon spicy barbecue sauce

teaspoon oregano

teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Dash salt and pepper, to taste

Oil for frying (optional)

Combine the TVP and the vegetable broth in a large bowl. Allow the TVP to rehydrate for at least 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Drain any excess moisture.

Combine the TVP with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine well.

Form the mixture into patties and chill for at least 30 minutes. Fry in oil on each side until lightly browned or grill on a lightly greased grill.

Serves four.

Nutrition values per serving: 210 calories, 1.5 g fat (o saturated), 35 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 13 g protein, 55 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium.

Adapted from Vegetarian.About.com