Tag Archives: spicy

Beet burgers

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BietenB2My friend loves taking me to great lunchrooms. At one of these fabulous lunches I tried my first beetroot burgers, and I was hooked. Unlike other vegetarian burgers this burger does not try to replace meat, it is a totally new flavor sensation providing great texture and filling you up for the rest of the day.

Obviously, it is also a very healthy alternative to your regular meaty version. But that is not why you should try this. This is a new flavour you have to introduce to your pallet, the healthy part is just a bonus!

I have to honestly admit this dish isn’t for everyone, especially meat lovers that think veggie burgers are blasphemy. And you have to love beetroot. I do think that offering lots of garlic rich yoghurt sauce will help convince your family members.

These burgers and sauces can easily be made a day in advance, making them the perfect easy home made fastfood!

BietenB

Beet root burgers (4-6 burgers)

  • 1 uncooked medium beet root, finely grated
  • 800 grams of tinned beans, I used field peas (we like to call them kapucijners in Holland)
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups of oats

Mash up the peas (in the foodprocessor), I like leaving some chunky pieces for texture.

Mix in the beet root, onion and egg. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Add half the oats and let the mixture stand so the oats can soak up the moisture. After 20 minutes, check the mixture and add oats as needed. You want a firm, non-sticky mixture that still holds together well. I like to compare it to how my meatball texture feels when it is just right.

Shape your burger paddies, dust with oats to prevent the paddies from sticking if needed and let them rest for at least 30 minutes. For the practical busy moms I recommend making these a day in advance.

BIetenBPan

Fry your paddies in some oil on a high heat for a few minutes on each side. After making the paddies crusty on each side, place the paddies in the 220 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Serve with some fresh crispy buns, some lettuce, a spicy yoghurt sauce and a yoghurt mint sauce (you find the recipe with the posh fish and chips recipe).

Spicy sauce

  • 1 tomato in small cubes
  • 1 onion finely sliced
  • 1 finely sliced chili pepper
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • handfull of freshly sliced parsley and/or koriander

Blend half the tomato, union and chili to a pulp. Mix the pulp with the other ingredients and season to taste.

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My mighty Moussaka

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One of my favorite restaurants to visit is a Greek restaurant. I love the Mediterranean spices, and the hint of the orient. It is one of the few types of restaurant where I can choose tasty freshly grilled meats as well as seafood, or a jummy slow cooked lamb stew. I am also partial to their yummy yoghurt sauce, tzatziki!

I have always loved Greece’s answer to the lasagna: the moussaka! Recently it occurred to me that I could easily turn this recipe into a vegetarian dish. My meat loving husband was nearly finished with his dinner when he realized there was no meat in his food. He had enjoyed the texture and flavor too much to notice what was missing.

On the practical side of things, this recipe has plenty of upsides too. I made the actual dish a day in advance. The next day I baked the moussaka, which made for a nice fuss free evening for me and my toddler. This dish will definitely be on a family favorite list for a while.

MoussakaSketchWatermark

Moussaka

  • Sauce:
    • 1 tin of depuy lentils ( 310 gram )
    • 1 tin of diced tomatoes ( 400 gram )
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 2 tsp thyme
    • 1 tsp oregano
    • 1 tsp mint
    • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 3 tbsp of olive oil
    • 1 large union, diced
    • 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
    • 1 glass of white wine
    • Half cube of vegetable stock
  • 1 aubergine in slices
  • 3 medium large potatoes
  • Topping (you substitute this with bechamel sauce, this is my lazy cheat version):
    • 2 tbsp cream cheese
    • 1 tub of cottage cheese ( 200 gram )
  • 150 gram of grated cheese

You will need an ovenproof dish, I used one of  27 by 18 cm.

  1. Before you do anything else. Boil your potatoes until they are soft.
  2. Prepare the sauce;
    • Fry your union in some olive oil until soft.
    • Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin and thyme. Add the wine and let it simmer for a few minutes.
    • Stir in the rest of the sauce ingredients.
    • Bring the sauce to a light simmer. Leave it to simmer for about an hour.
  3. While the sauce is simmering, prepare your other ingredients;
    • Slice the aubergine length ways. Drizzle the slices with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper. Fry the slices in a griddle pan on each side.
    • Let your potatoes cool, then slice them.
    • Wilt the spinach down in some oil in a really hot pan. Let the spinach cool and slice it roughly. The spinach needs to cool in a collinder now. Drain as much of moisture out as you possibly can.
    • Mix your topping ingredients.
  4. When all your components are ready, you can layer your moussaka in an oven proof dish:
    • One layer of sauce
    • One layer of spinach
    • One layer of potatoe slices, don’t forget to season these.
    • One layer of sauce
    • One layer of aubergine
    • Spread out your topping
    • Sprinkle with the grated cheese
    • Season with some freshly ground pepper
  5. (You can keep the dish overnight before this step) Bake the moussaka in a 220 degree C oven for about 30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
  6. Let your moussaka stand for 5 minutes before serving.