The Vegetable:
Beets: they've been around since forever... well, longer than you and I have, which counts, right?! Beta vulgaris is grown as an annual plant and has been selectively bred by we humans for a plethora of uses: chard, or silverbeet, is the variety grown specifically for it's leaves; sugar beets have been bred for the extraction of sugar from the long taproot, and our classic beetroot has been selected for it's absolutely delicious bulbous taproot. Believed to have originated from the coast of the Mediterranean sea, beet leaves were purportedly first cultivated and harvested by the Greeks and gave them the exquisite name "teutlon", which basically means "squid tentacles". Nice. Nowadays, beet plants do not resemble these sea creatures at all (thankfully!) and I imagine they probably taste a lot better too!
The strong taste and smell of beetroot is thanks to the chemical Geosmin, which is very similar to the smell of fresh rain on soil - pleasant to some people, yet revolting to others, which led to poor beetroot being ranked as the second-most hated vegetable after turnips throughout our colourful history. Again, thanks to selective breeding, beetroot these days don't smell or taste nearly so strong, but one can still detect hints of geosmin!
Boasting high levels of iron, potassium, magnesium, folic acid and calcium, beetroot acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory; an antioxidant; supports healthy blood pressure and supports liver function and brain health to name just a few!
The Dish:
Beetroot and Carrot Patties
Burgers are one of those fast-food meals that are actually so much tastier when homemade! The quintessential American hamburger generally involves ground beef... but it's time to change things up and go for a classic vegetarian version that tastes EVEN BETTER than any meat patty. Go on, see if I'm right!
These patties are quick to make and perfect for hamburgers or simply serve with a tasty side salad and yoghurt dressing.
The Ingredients:
serves 6
1 large beetroot
1 large carrot
1 cup of cooked brown rice
200gms crumbled feta cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. onion salt
2 tbsps. dill, chopped
2 tbsps. mint, chopped
¼ cup almond flour
2 tbsps. olive oil
The How To:
Grate beetroot and carrot and boil for 10mins until soft. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, add rice, feta cheese, eggs, garlic salt, onion salt, cumin, herbs, almond flour and cooked, well drained beetroot and carrot. Mix well to combine.
Dampen your hands and mould into patties .
Heat olive oil in a large fry pan over a medium heat until shimmering. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the patties. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until crisp and warmed through.
Serve warm with salad or as a tasty burger.
2 comments
These were yummy. I was reluctant to use my precious feta in a pattie, but along with that, the beetroot and the spices, they were delicious. For once my patties didn’t fall apart. I did put them in the fridge a while, then baked them, and by that time they were holding well enough together to quickly brown them in the pan.
Yum! Didn’t precook the beetroot and carrot and used our own quantities and added grated red onion and dried dill and no mint but basically the same recipe!!!! Very delicious flavour! Xx