The famed vegetarian cookbook author Mollie Katzen has a whole chapter devoted to burgers and savory pancakes in her beautiful new cookbook, “The Heart of the Plate.” Before I’d looked carefully at the chapter I’d bought a bunch of broccoli with the idea that specks of broccoli would be beautiful in a burger. Mollie, with her delicious Walnut-Coated Broccoli-Speckled Mashed Potato Cakes, was way ahead of me on that idea. I loved her idea of coating the burgers with ground walnuts and barely cooking the finely chopped broccoli before incorporating it into the mix. I’ve made a variation on Mollie’s burgers, using red potatoes and sticking with the Indian seasonings I’ve been using in other burgers this week.
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely minced broccoli florets (about 6 1/2 ounces, or 2 good-size crowns; see note)
- Salt to taste
- 1 ½ pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup ricotta
- 1 cup ground walnuts (about 3 ounces; pulse in a food processor until they resemble coarse bread crumbs, being careful not to grind to a paste; you will probably have some left over)
- ¼ cup grape seed oil
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (9 servings)
192 calories; 13 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 4 grams protein; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 28 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
9 patties
Preparation
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Place broccoli in a strainer and dip into the boiling water for 1 minute, then remove. Rinse with cold water and shake out excess, then drain on paper towels.
- Steam potatoes over 1 inch of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a fork. The skins will break up in the mash. Stir in broccoli and remaining ingredients except the ground walnuts and oil. Season generously with salt, combine well, taste and adjust seasonings.
- Place ground walnuts in a wide bowl. Scoop out about 1/3 cup of burger mixture and form into a ball (you can moisten your hands to prevent sticking). Roll in the walnuts, then gently flatten into a patty. Place on a plate or sheet pan and continue to shape all of the patties. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.
- When you’re ready to cook, place a rack over a sheet pan. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch, heavy nonstick frying pan over high heat. Swirl pan to coat with the hot oil. Lower heat to medium. Place 4 to 5 patties in the pan (do not crowd), and cook until well browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown for about 4 more minutes. Remove to the rack. Heat remaining oil in the pan and cook remaining patties. Keep patties warm in a low oven until ready to serve. Serve with a salad and your choice of toppings, such as the usual (ketchup, mustard, relish), or yogurt raita, garlic yogurt, or chutney.
- Note: For finely minced florets, cut very thin slices across the florets with a chef’s knife.
- Advance preparation: You can form the patties and keep them frigerated for up to 2 days, or cook them all the way through and keep them refrigerated for 2 or 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a low oven for 10 to 15 minutes. The patties freeze well. Thaw completely before reheating.
About 50 minutes
Dining and Cooking