Cannellini Burgers

 

It has been far too long since my last post...I have a bunch of backlog on recipes to add, so I'm going to be pretty busy. I had a final last Tuesday for an econ class I took through Harvard Extension school, and that sucked up my life for about a week, and now I'm catching up on all other aspects of life - specifically, cooking.

I made these cannellini burgers a few weeks ago -  my first shot at veggies burgers, and they were really good. I found these on a blog through Tastespotting - and I have made a few other recipes from the same blog. The pesto that goes with burgers is great with pasta as well.


Cannellini Cilantro Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Makes 4 cakes

Pesto1 cup (loosely-packed) jarred roasted red peppers (you need 1 cup after draining)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon pine nuts (or any nut)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cracked black pepper

Cannellini Cakes1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cracked black pepper

For serving - mixed greens lightly dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt/pepper

1. To make pesto, combine all ingredients in blender and process into a coarse puree. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mash cannellini beans to a chunky paste. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Form into four patties. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, spray with nonstick spray or add a little olive oil. Cook cakes for 5-6 minutes per side or until golden brown and heated through.
3. Serve cannellini cakes over mixed greens with roasted red pepper pesto.

Other ideas for the pesto:

Toss with hot pasta
Spread on toasted baguette with goat cheese
Use as a sauce for veggie pizza
Layer into a toasty sandwich or wrap




Original recipe here (and great blog)