Mushroom Pecan Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb brown (cremini) mushrooms (ends of stems trimmed), chopped (cremini have more flavor than white button mushrooms, but white mushrooms can also be used)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ cups onion, diced
• couple pinches sea salt
• 3 – 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 – 2 ½ tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp light miso (ex: brown rice)
• ½ tsp ground sage
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 ¾ cups quick oats
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 1 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce (optional, omit for wheat-free version)
• ½ cup pecans, lightly toasted (see note)

1. In a large skillet (as large as you have) over high heat, add the oil, mushrooms, and black pepper (no salt yet).  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have started to brown and concentrate down (about 8-10 minutes).
2. Push most of the mushrooms to the outer edges of the skillet (creating a ‘well’ in the centre), turn the heat down to medium-low and add the onions and salt first and cook for a couple of minutes, and then add the garlic (adding garlic later to help prevent it from burning).
3. Stir the onion/garlic mixture through with the mushrooms and let cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the onions are softened and starting to caramelize.
4. Add the 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar to the pan, stir through, and then remove from heat.
5. In a food processor, add about ¾ of the mushroom/onion mixture with the tahini, miso, sage, oregano, 1½ tbsp of balsamic, tamari, quick oats, and parsley (and vegan worcestershire sauce if using) and puree until it just comes together.
6. Add the pecans, pulse through once or twice (to break up but not fully process), and then the remaining mushroom/onion/garlic sauté and pulse through once or twice just to incorporate into the mix.
7. Remove blade from processor, and take mounds of the mixture and shape into patties with your hands (yielding 6 – or 5 quite large).  Patties can be refrigerated or cooked straight away.
8. To cook, fry on a non-stick skillet (very lightly oiled) over medium/medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes until a golden sear has formed on each side. Serve up!

Note: Toasting develops more flavor in the pecans for these burgers.Toast pecans in a toaster oven (or oven), baking at about 400 degrees for about 6-10 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Be careful, watch the nuts after the first 4-5 minutes, they can go from golden to burnt very quickly!

Source: True/Slant

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