Smoky aubergine & lentil burgers with smoked gouda and crispy shallots

Veggie burgers are something I largely avoid. That’s not exactly a great selling sentence to open a veggie burger recipe with, but hear me out. They’re either dry, a bit mealy and resemble those fat balls you can buy at your local gardening centre or they’re made with faux meat. Both leave me longing for something juicy and flavourful that’s not trying to be an Aberdeen Angus burger and failing miserably. This is a burger patty recipe that’s delicious in its own right. If you’re wanting to enjoy this in warmer weather and get in on the BBQ action, I’d recommend frying them first in a pan, freezing them for a few hours or overnight and then BBQ’ing them once they have that solid structure, otherwise, they’ll fall apart on the barbeque.

‘Smoked gouda’ seems very specific but really, I’m just using it because it’s what I like and is what’s regularly in my local supermarket. Any smoked cheese would work and be delicious. And if you’re not in to smoked cheese, just use any cheese you like.

Ingredients:

For the burger patties (makes 4 large burgers):

400g can brown lentils (drain and rinse them to remove as much liquid as you can)

1 large shallot finely diced

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 aubergines

1tbsp double cream

1tsp maple syrup

1tsp paprika

1tsp dried mixed herbs

100g breadcrumbs

1 egg

For the crispy shallots:

3 large shallots

2tbsp cornflour/cornstarch

2 cups vegetable oil

Smoked gouda slices, dijon mayonnaise, lettuce and brioche burgers for the rest of the burger.

Method:

1. Char your aubergines. Either hold them over the gas flame on the hob with metal tongs and turn slowly until the skin is charred and the inside of the aubergine is soft. If you don’t have a gas hob, use a skillet and char the aubergines, flesh side down after slicing them in half lengthways and rubbing lightly with oil.

2. In a pan, sweat down the shallots and garlic until soft. Set aside.

3. Scoop out the flesh of the aubergines with a fork or spoon and add to a large mixing bowl. Rinse the can of lentils and leave to drain to remove as much liquid as you can. Add to the aurbergines and squeeze lightly with your hands to mush some of the lentils together. Add the spices, shallot and garlic mixture and season. Add the double cream and maple syrup (these are not essential but I think they’re great for adding that fatty sweetness that mimics the fatty juiciness and slight sweetness of a beef burger) and the egg. Mix well before adding the breadcrumbs.

4. The consistency of the burger mixture will vary depending on the size of your aubergines. The large the aubergines, the more liquidy the burger mixture, so if it looks too wet at this stage, add more breadcrumbs.

5. Shape the mixture into patties and place into the fridge for 15 minutes if you can to firm up.

6. While the burgers are firming up, prepare and fry your crispy shallots. Slice your shallots finely into rings and separate the rings with your fingers into a bowl. Add the cornflour and toss to ensure the shallots are evenly coated.

7. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan on a medium heat. To see when the oil’s hot enough, add 1 shallot ring and if it starts to sizzle, the oil is ready. Gently drop in the shallot rings (do this in 2 batches to avoid over crowding the pan) and fry for a couple of minutes until the rings are golden. Remove and place onto a plate covered with kitchen towel to drain the excess oil.

8. Fry the burgers in a little olive oil on a medium to high heat to get a nice char for around 4 minutes on either side. Once you’ve flipped the burgers and both sides are nicely browned, add the cheese to one side of each, lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid to allow the steam to melt the cheese.

9. Assemble your burgers and top the patties with the crispy shallots before topping with the top burger bun. Enjoy!