We've recently become obsessed with baby kale in our house as it has a longer shelf life than spinach and is overall cheaper. In addition, it's less bitter, has a subtle flavor, and is a hit with our fussy toddler. What I like most about baby kale, is it's versatile and compliments any dish - from a spice laden curry to a simple garden salad.
On a recent Whole Foods run they were out of the 500g baby kale tray and we were forced to grab the 1 kg pack (that's a tonne of baby kale). In this situation, I had to get innovative in the kitchen to use up the kale by the end of the week, One of the tasty recipes I invented was Black Bean Kale burgers. These proved to be a hit and will definitely be on regular menu rotation. |
- 1 can black beans, washed and drained
- 1/4 punnet of cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup of corn kernels
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 4 fist fulls of kale
- 2 cups shredded vintage sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp parprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chili flakes
- 2 tbs white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Canola oil for cooking
- Greek yoghurt
- Half lemon
- Chipotle tabasco sauce
- Hamburger/Brioche buns
- Cheddar Cheese
- Tomatoes
Method
Tomato relish
- Dice or process cherry tomatoes.
- Combine with vinegar, chili flakes, and sugar, until it has a chunky salsa consistency.
- Place in a glass bowl, wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Zesty yoghurt sauce
- Combine greek yoghurt, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of Chipotle Tabasco sauce until uniformly mixed and refrigerate.
Black Bean Kale Burgers
- Process baby kale in food processor till coarsely chopped.
- Combine black beans, baby kale, corn kernels, cheese flour, spices and eggs together, gently mashing. Add more flour if mixture isn't forming a dough-like consistency. The mixture should be moist and hold body.
- Form into firm patties approximately 1..5 cm thick.
- Fry patties 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy in a flat bottom iron skillet.
- Toast buns and assemble burgers, layering patty, sliced cheese, tomato relish or sliced tomato, fresh baby kale and greek yoghurt sauce. Modifications: the relish may be added into the patty mixture and the cheese melted onto patties before removing from skillet. For an extra kick, add extra hot sauce