Burger with Mushroom Base

By mariannefeldman

nytimes cutting down on meat
Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

Ingredients

• Mushroom and Beef Burgers
• These are inspired by the Culinary Institute of America Chef Scott Samuel’s mushroom beef burgers. They are half lean beef, half roasted mushrooms (Chef uses 2 parts meat and 1 part mushrooms), and they are incredibly moist.
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound roasted mushroom base (see above)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or a mix of parsley, mint, cilantro and dill
• 1 egg
• Canola or grapeseed oil for the pan (1 to 2 tablespoons)
• Hamburger buns (preferably whole wheat), lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and the usual burger fixings

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, roasted mushroom base, onion, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and egg. Form 6 to 8 patties and place them on a plate or a lightly oiled sheet pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Heat 1 or 2 large, heavy skillets over medium-high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom (about 1 tablespoon). When the pans are hot, add the patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to the parchment-lined sheet pan and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, let sit for a couple of minutes, and serve.

Yield: Eight 4.5-ounce patties or six 6-ounce patties

Advance preparation: The roasted mushroom base will keep for three days in the refrigerator. The patties can be assembled several hours before you cook them and refrigerated. They can also be wrapped individually in plastic and frozen; they will release a lot of juice from the mushrooms when you thaw them but they will still be moist.

Nutritional information per serving (patties only; 6 servings): 279 calories; 21 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 50 milligrams cholesterol; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 64 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 18 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (patties only; 8 servings): 209 calories; 16 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 38 milligrams cholesterol; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 48 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 14 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”