5 servings
This vegan version of chef Spike Mendelsohn's burger homage to the White House is a testament to the flavor and texture that can be achieved with alternative ingredients. It has a triple shot of low-fat protein in quinoa, black beans and a tangy tofu-based "blue cheese" topping.
The mixture can also be formed into 8 to 10 slider-size burgers.
The multigrain buns on which Equinox serves these burgers are also vegan, made by Lyon Bakery in D.C.
MAKE AHEAD: The vegan blue cheese mixture needs 3 hours to marinate in the refrigerator; it tastes even better after a day's refrigeration. The burger mixture needs to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour. The horseradish mayonnaise can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Based on chef-restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn's Prez Obama Burgers.
Ingredients
For the vegan blue cheese
7 ounces (1/2 block) firm tofu, drained
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 scallions, white and green parts, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the horseradish mayonnaise
1 cup Vegenaise (may substitute your favorite dairy-free sandwich spread)
Dash Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (not red)
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the burgers
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (3 1/2 ounces total)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
1 cup cooked or canned no-salt-added black beans
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 cup rolled oats (do not use instant)
2 cups plain panko
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons egg-replacer, such as Ener-G
1 cup water
5 multi-grain vegan buns, toasted, for serving (see headnote)
Red Onion Marmalade, for serving (see recipe at washingtonpost.com/recipes)
Mushroom 'Bacon,' for serving (optional; see recipe at washingtonpost.com/recipes)
Steps
For the vegan blue cheese: Press/gently crush the tofu between two sheets of paper towels, to extract excess moisture, for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a mixing bowl along with the onion and garlic powders, the vinegar and scallions; season lightly with salt and pepper, stirring to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and preferably up to 1 day.
For the horseradish mayonnaise: Whisk together the Vegenaise, Tabasco, horseradish and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed before serving.)
For the burgers: Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion and garlic. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, then add the mushrooms; cook for 5 minutes, then add the chili, onion and garlic powders and the smoked paprika; cook for 2 minutes, stirring to distribute evenly.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add the black beans, quinoa, oats and 1/2 cup of the panko; pulse to a coarse-paste consistency, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper; stir to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Whisk together the egg-replacer and water in a medium bowl.
When ready to cook, form the chilled burger mixture into 4 equal-size patties. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups of panko on a plate. Whisk together the egg-replacer and water in a medium bowl to form a smooth slurry.
Briefly dip each patty into the egg-replacer slurry so it's coated on both sides, then gently press into the panko until evenly coated on all sides. (Discard any excess slurry and panko.)
Heat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Generously grease with cooking oil spray, then add the burgers. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, reducing the heat as needed to avoid scorching, until a nicely browned crust forms. Use more cooking oil spray as needed — including on the burgers themselves — to keep the burgers from sticking or becoming too dry.
Spread the horseradish mayo on the top and bottom buns.
Place the burgers on the bottom buns. Top each burger with equal portions of the vegan blue cheese, the mushroom "bacon," if using, and the onion marmalade.
Nutrition | Per serving (without toppings or buns): 210 calories, 8 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 120 mg sodium, 6 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar
BBQ'd Oysters 'Roosevelt Island' Style
4 servings (makes 24 vegan oysters)
This smoky-crunchy-creamy-sweet-spicy morsel is meant to be eaten all in one bite, including the edible "oyster" shells made from dried seaweed sheets cut into rounds.
Chef Todd Gray's recipe calls for salsify, a root vegetable that has an oysterlike flavor and can be hard to find. We've made it optional here.
You'll need a 2-inch-wide heatproof dowel or a small ladle, and a culinary torch.
Serve on top of freshly blanched seaweed for an eye-catching garnish.
Fresh oyster or maitake mushrooms are available at Asian supermarkets and at some grocery stores.
MAKE AHEAD: The cucumber water and unseasoned cashew cream can be made a day in advance. The nori cups can be made a few hours in advance. Leftover cashew cream can be used in a variety of vegan dishes, and in Todd Gray's Artichoke, Oven-Dried Tomato and Green Onion Frittata (see recipe at washingtonpost.com/recipes).
Based on chef Jamie Leeds' recipe for BBQ'd Oysters Hog Island Style; from Equinox chef-restaurateur Todd Gray.
Ingredients
4 cups canola oil, for frying
6 nori (dried seaweed) sheets, at least 8 inches wide
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic-flavored oil
9 ounces oyster mushroom clusters or maitake mushrooms (see headnote)
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
2 cups cashew cream (see NOTES)
2 salsify roots, peeled and poached in equal parts white wine and water till tender, then minced (see headnote; may substitute small cooked cauliflower pieces; optional)
1/2 cup cucumber water (see NOTES)
Steps
Pour the oil into a wide 2-quart pot; heat the oil to 325 degrees over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Fold each sheet of nori in half, then again to create quarters. Use scissors to trim each quarter into a 4-inch round, creating a total of 24.
Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a shallow bowl to form a smooth slurry.
Working with one at a time, quickly dip a nori round into the cornstarch slurry just so it's coated but not so long as to soften the nori. Transfer to the hot oil; fry for 3 or 4 seconds, then press the dowel or back of the ladle into the center of the round, which will begin to create a cup shape. Fry, holding the dowel or ladle in place, for a few more seconds, then lift the tool out, letting the round fall back into the oil. Fry for a few more seconds, just until evenly crisped, then use tongs to carefully transfer the nori cup to the paper-towel-lined sheet. Immediately season lightly with salt and pepper.
Repeat to create a total of 24 nori cups, which should be about 2 1/2 inches wide.
Heat a grill pan over high heat. Pour the garlic oil into a mixing bowl. Add the oyster mushroom clusters and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the pan; sear (on the stem) for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely charred. Transfer to a plate.
When ready to serve, whisk the Sriracha and barbecue sauces into the cashew cream until the consistency of the sauce is almost like that of softly whipped cream.
Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the minced salsify, if using, into each nori cup. Drizzle with the cucumber water. Pick off thumb-size pieces of the charred mushrooms and tuck a few into each nori cup. Spoon the seasoned mushroom cream over each portion of mushrooms.
Use a culinary torch to quickly glaze/brown the top of the cashew cream, for no longer than 3 to 4 seconds per oyster.
Serve right away.
NOTES: To make the cashew cream, combine 1 cup raw cashews and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Cover and let sit for 10 to 20 minutes, then transfer to a blender and add 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Puree on the highest speed for 2 to 3 minutes to form a smooth, thick sauce. The yield is about 4 cups. Use right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To make the cucumber water, finely chop 1/2 an unpeeled cucumber and combine it in a bowl with 1/2 cup of water. Let sit for 30 minutes, then strain into a liquid measuring cup.
Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.
