Day 18 Vegan MoFo is all about the state I reside in, at the moment: California. We tend to move around a lot, although not as such as my family did in my adolescence, which was up to twice in one year, at times.
This burger has everything going for it that you've come to expect from a California type sandwich: sprouts, vegan bacon, avocado, tomato and a homemade burger patty.
This patty is a variation of my Better Burger Patty, which I'm trying to perfect. This patty omits the beets (athough it is an omission I only made because I didn't have fresh beets) and uses Marmite instead of a homemade beef-style seasoning.
As for the bacon, use whatever vegan bacon you like. I used my Tofu Bacon (page 36) from Everyday Vegan Eats because we love it so much - crispy, crunchy, salty, smoky. Perfect on this burger.
The sauce is Avocado-Cilantro Sauce that makes use of the other half of avocado that you thinly slice for the sandwich.
Our kids love the California Club Sandwich (EVE, page 83) from Everyday Vegan Eats, and I figured I'd make it into a burger because, why not?
Note: I was supposed to publish this last night. Grr! I'll add two post today or tomorrow to finish my MoFo on a high note!
CALIFORNIA BURGER PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE
California Burger
Makes 10 burger patties. Makes 4 burgers, with the other 6 freezing well.
1 (14-ounce) package tofu
6 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
3 teaspoons yeast extract spread (such as Marmite)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup chopped onions
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cup vital wheat gluten flour
½ cup steak sauce (such as A-1)
8 strips vegan bacon
Avocado-Cilantro Sauce, recipe below
½ avocado
1 cup sprouts
4 tomato slices
4 onion slices
4 leaves lettuce
4 burger buns, toasted
1. Preheat the oven to 230-degrees F. Combine the tofu, mayo, yeast extract, mustard, onions and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the gluten flour and pulse until the dough comes together. Transfer to a large bowl and knead until gluten threads form. Divide into 10 portions and form each portion into a burger patty. Arrange the burgers in two baking dishes. Spread 1 teaspoon of steak sauce on each side of the burgers. Cover the dishes tightly with foil and bake for 2 hours. Cool the patties throroughly before using.
2. Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium heat. Oil the burgers with oil spray and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Baste with more steak sauce, flip and continue to cook until golden, another 2 minutes. Baste, flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Assemble the burgers by spreading sauce on the bottom bun, adding a tomato slice, an onion slice, adding a burger patty, adding a few slices of avocado, topping with sprouts and adding the top of the bun. Serve.
Avocado-Cilantro Sauce
½ avocado
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
¼ cup vegan mayo
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1. Combine all the ingredients in a personal blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper
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