Hey Moto,
Here's a recipe for some veggie burgers that my wife and I tried recently. Definitely not short or simple but they are absolutely wonderful. They're from America's Test Kitchen. I'm as carnivorous as they come and to me they taste fairly "meaty". Forgive the length but I would encourage anyone on here to give it a try.
ULTIMATE VEGGIE BURGERS
3/4 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over (can use canned
lentils, but drain and rinse before drying on paper towels as in recipe)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup bulgur wheat
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (2 cups)
1 large celery rib, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, chopped fine (about 1/2 c)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (2 teaspoons)
1lb cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/4 inch thick (6 1/2 cups)
1 cup raw unsalted cashews
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs - if you can't find these, use 1 cup plain bread crumbs)
12 burger buns for serving
1. Bring 3 cups water, lentils, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just beginning to fall apart, about 25 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh strainer. Line baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels and spread drained lentils over. Cover lentils with an additional triple layer of paper towels and gently pat to absorb excess moisture. Cool lentils to room temperature.
2. While lentils are simmering, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil in a small saucepan. Stir bulgur wheat into boiling water and cover immediately; let stand off heat until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in fine-mesh strainer; use rubber spatula to press out excess moisture. Transfer bulgur to medium bowl and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, celery, leek, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Spread vegetable mixture on second baking sheet to cool; set aside. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet; heat over high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Spread mushrooms on baking sheet with vegetable mixture; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes (or 5-10 in refrigerator)
4. Process cashews in food processor until finely chopped, about fifteen 1-second pulses; stir into bowl with bulgur along with cooled lentils, vegetable-mushroom mixture, and mayonnaise (do not wash food processor blade or bowl). Transfer mixture in batches to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, fifteen to twenty 1-second pulses; mixture should be cohesive but roughly textured. Transfer processed mixture to large bowl; repeat with remaining unprocessed mixture and combine with first batch. Stir in panko, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Divide mixture into 12 portions, about 1/2 cup each, shaping each into a tightly packed patty, approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick; set patties on baking sheet; paper towels will absorb excess moisture. Patties can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for a couple months. (For better performing frozen patties, increase the panko by 1 teaspoon, or 1/2 teaspoon bread crumbs for each burger to be frozen. Thaw frozen patties overnight in the refrigerator on a triple layer of paper towels covered loosely with plastic wrap. Before cooking, pat the patties dry with paper towels and reshape to make sure they are tightly packed and cohesive)
TO COOK ON THE GRILL: Build medium-hot charcoal fire or preheat gas grill on high. Using tongs, wipe grate with wad of paper towels dipped lightly in vegetable oil. Grill burgers, without moving them, until well browned, about 5 minutes; flip burgers and continue cooking until well browned on second side, about 5 minutes.
TO COOK ON THE STOVETOP: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering; cook burgers, no more than 4 at a time, until well browned, about 4 minutes per side. Lower the heat to medium if burgers brown too quickly. Repeat with additional oil and burgers.
Cooked burgers can be kept warm in a 250-degree oven for up to 30 minutes.
Serves 12
