I’m pretty sure I got a strange look in the dining room today since I was muttering in between each bit of the Chipotle Sweet Potato Burger and admiring it in amazement. It was by far the most delicious thing I’ve had in some time (and the Black Bean and avocado Enchiladas were pretty impressive).
This is the best thing about these burgers: the patty is gluten-free and vegan. I decided to place them on wheat buns, and apply mayonnaise to the buns, but you could make veganaise at home or wrap the burger in a gluten-free tortilla. In any case, the burger itself is sure to blow your taste buds.
Non-meat burgers can be found in many different kinds of textures… This one is very soft and moist in comparison to others because I didn’t make use of any eggs or flour to bind. Due to this, you should be cautious when handling them so that they don’t break upon you. This is worth the effort, I guarantee it.
I tried two cooking techniques (I thought you’d like to be aware of). I cooked two in a pan using some oil and then baked the remaining two after coating them with non-stick cooking spray. Each method has pros and cons. The food was delicious evidently, as it was cooked with oil. However, because it cooked rapidly, it was more moist, which made it less brittle and more likely to crumble. The patties that were baked were only brown on the bottom. They were a little dry and thus more solid. Both were delicious. I’ll stay with the skillet method since it’s more efficient, and the oil is delicious.
INGREDIENTS
One lb. sweet potato ($1.00)
Half a cup of corn kernels ($0.31)
1 15oz. Can black beans ($1.19)
One entire chipotle pepper in the adobo sauce ($0.33)
1/2 cup of cornmeal, divided ($0.12)
14 tbsp crushed garlic ($0.02)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin ($0.03)
1/2 tsp salt ($0.03)
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro (optional) ($0.19)
1 Tbsp of cooking oil (for frying) ($0.02)
Four rolls of wheat ($1.42)
One avocado ($1.19)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional) ($0.45)
INSTRUCTIONS
Clean the sweet potato thoroughly before poking it a few times with a fork to ensure that steam escapes while it cooks.
To cook the potato in the microwave, wrap it up in a towel, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave at high for 5 minutes. Take care to squeeze the potato in order to make sure it’s fully soft. If not, cook it in increments of one minute until it’s completely smooth (mine took about 8 minutes).
Took is cooked in the oven in the oven: heat your oven to 400 ° and cook the potatoes for 45 to 60 minutes and until completely soft (either in the range directly or placed on baking sheets).
As the sweet potato cools, you can prepare the other ingredients. Put the corn that has been frozen in an enormous bowl. Then drain and rinse your black beans. Allow as much of the excess water to evaporate as much as you can, then put them in the same bowl together with the corn. Cut the cilantro leaves into small pieces and put them in the bowl along with a half cup of cornmeal (1/4 cup) and garlic powder. Add cumin and salt. Pick one chipotle pepper from the container, then mince it, and put it in the bowl with about a teaspoon of the adobo sauce that came from the can.
When the sweet potato has become at a temperature that is safe to handle, scoop the flesh and place it into the bowl along with all the other ingredients. Mix everything in and or make use of a potato masher or the handle of a fork to lightly mash the beans. Cover the dish and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, allowing the cornmeal to soak up water.
Split the mixture of sweet potatoes into 4 (or 6) portions. Form each one into a patties, about 1/4 inch in thickness. The rest of 1/4 cup cornmeal covers the exterior and inside of each cakes. This will give an excellent crunch to the cakes.
For cooking the patties using a pan cook, heat one tablespoon of cooked oil into a large bottomed skillet at moderate temperature. Once the oil is hot (it appears like a wavy surface), then add two patties. Cook for approximately 5 minutes per side or until they turn golden brown. Add more oil, and cook the two remaining patties. Be sure to flip the patties with care because they’re quite soft and may break apart.
For the cooking of the patties, heat the oven to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and then spray lightly using non-stick cooking spray. Lay the patties on the foil, then sprinkle the tops of the cakes using non-stick spray (this helps to make it crisp). Bake for about 25 minutes, and until cakes are hot and the bottoms of them are golden brown.
Spread one tablespoon of mayonnaise on each bun, and decorate with a sweet potato patty with chipotle. Slice the avocado, and place a quarter slice on the top of each hamburger. Sprinkle with additional cilantro leaves if you like.
