Smoked Hazelnut Burgers

Preparation Notes

Cooking time includes 2 hours to chill the burgers before frying.

Ingredients

To make the burgers

• 50g hazelnuts
• 150g cooked chickpeas
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 50g carrot finely grated
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 50g smoked vegetarian Cheddar cheese grated
• 25g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 1 free-range egg beaten
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs finely chopped
• 1 tsp tahini
• ½ tsp shoyu
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt to taste
• Extra olive oil for brushing on the barbecue

To serve

• 4 wholemeal buns
• 8 lettuce leaves
• 2 tomatoes sliced
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise

Method

1. Blend the nuts and chickpeas in a food processor.
2. Fry the onion, carrot and garlic in the olive oil until soft, then remove from the heat.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly until the mixture binds together. Chill.
4. Divide the mixture into 10, roll into balls then flatten into burgers. Chill for at least two hours.
5. Lightly oil a baking sheet, and place on the barbecue. Cook the burgers on the pre-heated baking sheet for approximately 20 minutes, turning once.
6. Serve the burgers in the wholemeal buns with the lettuce lettuce, sliced tomatoes and mayonnaise.