MOLLIE KATZEN-INSPIRED POTATO AND BROCCOLI BURGERS

Mollie Katzen-Inspired Potato and Broccoli Burgers image

The famed vegetarian cookbook author Mollie Katzen has a whole chapter devoted to burgers and savory pancakes in her beautiful new cookbook, "The Heart of the Plate." Before I'd looked carefully at the chapter I'd bought a bunch of broccoli with the idea that specks of broccoli would be beautiful in a burger. Mollie, with her delicious Walnut-Coated Broccoli-Speckled Mashed Potato Cakes, was way ahead of me on that idea. I loved her idea of coating the burgers with ground walnuts and barely cooking the finely chopped broccoli before incorporating it into the mix. I've made a variation on Mollie's burgers, using red potatoes and sticking with the Indian seasonings I've been using in other burgers this week.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories dinner, lunch, burgers, main course

Time 50m

Yield 9 patties

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 cups finely minced broccoli florets (about 6 1/2 ounces, or 2 good-size crowns; see note)
Salt to taste
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup ricotta
1 cup ground walnuts (about 3 ounces; pulse in a food processor until they resemble coarse bread crumbs, being careful not to grind to a paste; you will probably have some left over)
1/4 cup grape seed oil

Steps:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Place broccoli in a strainer and dip into the boiling water for 1 minute, then remove. Rinse with cold water and shake out excess, then drain on paper towels.
Steam potatoes over 1 inch of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a fork. The skins will break up in the mash. Stir in broccoli and remaining ingredients except the ground walnuts and oil. Season generously with salt, combine well, taste and adjust seasonings.
Place ground walnuts in a wide bowl. Scoop out about 1/3 cup of burger mixture and form into a ball (you can moisten your hands to prevent sticking). Roll in the walnuts, then gently flatten into a patty. Place on a plate or sheet pan and continue to shape all of the patties. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.
When you're ready to cook, place a rack over a sheet pan. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch, heavy nonstick frying pan over high heat. Swirl pan to coat with the hot oil. Lower heat to medium. Place 4 to 5 patties in the pan (do not crowd), and cook until well browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown for about 4 more minutes. Remove to the rack. Heat remaining oil in the pan and cook remaining patties. Keep patties warm in a low oven until ready to serve. Serve with a salad and your choice of toppings, such as the usual (ketchup, mustard, relish), or yogurt raita, garlic yogurt, or chutney.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 263, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 33 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 417 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams