Garden Burger with Mushroom and Peppers

Adapted from Bharti Kirchner's Vegetarian Burgers
Makes 4 burgers

15g (1/2 oz, 2 Tbsp) pecan nuts
50g (2 oz, 3/4 cup) fresh breadcrumbs
1 small onion (or 75g (1/2 medium, 1 cup chopped) white part of leek)
2 cloves garlic
vegetable oil or vegetable stock powder for sautéing
1/2 red, yellow or orange (sweet bell) pepper
225g (8oz) mushrooms
1 mild or hot chili (optional)
1-2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1/2 cup cooked rice (about 35g, 1/2 oz, 1/3 cup before cooking)
salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp potato flakes to help bind (optional)

First, toast and grind the pecan nuts: cook them in a dry frying pan over a low
heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until slightly browned but not burned.
Grind in a blender or food processor - I find it helps to add some of the
breadcrumbs to the blender to stop the nuts flying everywhere. Chop the onion
and garlic. Sauté in vegetable stock (or use oil) until softened and slightly
browned. Meanwhile, chop the pepper and mushrooms. Finely chop the chili (if
using). When the onions are ready, add these other vegetables and cook for a
further 10-15 minutes until everything is tender, adding a little water if
things start to stick. Add the hoisin sauce, mix well and continue to cook until
the sauce is thick. Place the vegetable mixture in a blender along with the
cooked rice, and pulse a few times to blend things together, leaving some pieces
of vegetables whole.

Mix in the toasted, ground pecan nuts and breadcrumbs. Season to taste
only if necessary. If the mixture seems a bit sloppy, mix in some
potato flakes, instant mashed potato or more breadcrumbs to help bind
it. Don't use flour as it won't have time to cook properly.
If possible, leave in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes - it will
keep there for a few days. Form into burgers - you can make them quite
thin and flat, with smooth edges. To cook them, fry or bake. Be
careful when turning them not to disturb the browned crust. Nice with
ketchup and red onion in a brown roll.