Clockwise from top left: Portabello Smash Burger, the Scottish Special, Lynn's Bean Burger, French Onion BurgersLe hamburger is all the rage now in France. And surprise, they are even doing veggie burgers! And we have some really unusual ones for you today.
I have blogged before about veggie burgers, the homemade kind. I would love it if the world would kill fewer animals and eat less meat. And here is the thing about a veggie burger: A lot of the burger experience is about a good sesame bun, a wonderful sauce, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, not to mention those French fries that go with it. By the time you get down to the actual burger, you hardly notice that you're eating a well-made veggie burger, instead of a cow.
So I have three new ideas for veggie burgers for very satisfying, vegetarian burger- like sandwiches for you today. But one has a good story behind it.
We were dining with a new friend named Ann who is from Scotland, and she started talking about the Scottish national dish, which is called haggis. If you are not aware of this culinary treat, this is what it is: minced sheep heart, liver, and lungs, mixed with suet, oatmeal, onion, and spices like cayenne, nutmeg, coriander.The odiferous mixture is packed into a sheep's stomach and boiled to make a kind of sausage. A bit like the dreaded French andouilette. (And by the way, haggis is illegal in the US because they do not allow the consumption of animal lungs.)
Haggis
But there is more: when the Scottish eat haggis, it is first traditional to Address the Haggis. On formal occasions, this is preceded by bagpipes, and parading the haggis around on a platter. This ode to this beloved stinky dish is by the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns, who throws in a dis to the French for good measure. Read it below, then watch the video, in Scottish brogue, of the formal (and amusing) Addressing Of the Haggis.
Address to a Haggis (Translation)
Good luck to you and your honest, plump face,
Great chieftain of the sausage race!
Above them all you take your place,
Stomach, tripe, or intestines:
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm.
The groaning trencher there you fill,
Your buttocks like a distant hill,
Your pin would help to mend a mill
In time of need,
While through your pores the dews distill
Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour wipe,
And cut you up with ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like any ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm steaming, rich!
Then spoon for spoon, the stretch and strive:
Devil take the hindmost, on they drive,
Till all their well swollen bellies by-and-by
Are bent like drums;
Then old head of the table, most like to burst,
'The grace!' hums.
Is there that over his French ragout,
Or olio that would sicken a sow,
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust,
Looks down with sneering, scornful view
On such a dinner?
Poor devil! see him over his trash,
As feeble as a withered rush,
His thin legs a good whip-lash,
His fist a nut;
Through bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit.
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his ample fist a blade,
He'll make it whistle;
And legs, and arms, and heads will cut off
Like the heads of thistles.
You powers, who make mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill of fare,
Old Scotland wants no watery stuff,
That splashes in small wooden dishes;
But if you wish her grateful prayer,
Give her a Haggis!
These Mushroom burgers are simple and really delicious. From NYT Cooking.Recipe: Mushroom Smash BurgerServes 2
- ¼cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed, plus more as needed
- 1teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean
- 4 slices sharp Cheddar
- 2 hamburger buns
Toppings (such as lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced onion, and pickles) and condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard), as desired
In a small bowl, stir together the oil and onion powder and season with salt and pepper. Score the top of the mushrooms with an X. Coat the mushrooms all over with the oil mixture.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the mushrooms and place a second heavy skillet on top of the mushrooms. (Wrap the top skillet in foil for easier clean-up.) Cook, flipping the mushrooms every two minutes. Once the mushrooms are flattened, about 4 minutes in, occasionally press down firmly on the top skillet to promote browning. (If you do this before they are flat, you risk splitting the mushroom.) Continue flipping and pressing until the mushrooms are browned and thin, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing the heat if they begin to char. If the mushrooms become matte and wrinkly, drizzle on another tablespoon of oil.
Reduce heat to low and top with the cheese. Cover with a lid or sheet pan and cook until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add two mushrooms per bun and desired toppings and condiments.
This is a Ron favorite, it's really special. All the fun and flavor of French Onion soup, in a sandwich, if not a true burger. From NYT Cooking.
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter (unsalted or salted)
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly and uniformly sliced, see Tip
- Salt and pepper
- 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups shredded Gruyère, shredded
- 4 brioche buns, cut crosswise
Caramelize the onions: Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven or large, heavy skillet over medium. Once the butter melts, add the sliced onions and a large pinch of salt. (If your onions are particularly large, you may need another tablespoon butter to thoroughly moisten them.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep brown all over, 1 hour to 1 ¼ hours total, reducing the heat to low if they are browning unevenly. (If the onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn, reduce the heat to low and add the balsamic vinegar, stirring to deglaze the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.) When the onions are caramelized, stir in the balsamic vinegar if you haven’t already added it. Remove from heat.
Heat the oven to broil (on low, if possible). Place the halved brioche buns open on a sheet pan. Divide the cheese evenly among each bun half and broil until melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the buns from the oven and sprinkle with ground black pepper. Add caramelized onions to the bottom half of each bun. Sandwich the two halves and serve.
- Onions that are sliced uniformly will brown more evenly, and onions that are sliced thinly will caramelize faster.
RECIPE: Vegetarian Haggis Burgers
- 2 cups chopped button mushrooms
1 can brown lentils drained and rinsed, approx 1 ¾ cups (or dry lentils soaked for 3 hours then cooked)
1 can kidney beans, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped, approx 1 ¾ cups (or dry kidney beans soaked over-night then cooked)
½ cup of oats (toasted)
1 large carrot, grated
2 clove garlic, minced
1 white onion finely chopped
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 heaped tsp of garam masala
1 ½ tsp black pepper
5 tbsp chickpea flour
Heat 2 tbsp of water in a deep pan and then saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms for 3 minutes before sprinkling over the garam masala, white pepper and soy sauce, stirring to mix everything together.
Using a stick blender, quickly pulse the mixture until it starts to break down, don’t turn it to mush, you just want to get rid of big chunks of mushrooms and onion.
Add the lentils, chopped kidney beans, oats and the carrot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid the haggis sticking. Finally mix through the gram flour, shape the mixture into 6 patties ("I used a large cookie cutter and spooned the mixture inside, pressing it down to compact it, my burgers were approx 1.5cm high") pop in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. "I didn’t need to turn them over half way through so you can just leave them in the oven for the full 20 minutes." Serve with guacamole and French fries.
12 thoughts on “How to Address a Sausage, and Le Hamburger too”
Very interesting post, Lynn, as aways, but I don’t recommend reading ‘Addressing Of the Haggis’ during breakfast.
We’ll try that mushroom burger- it sounds delicious. And you are so right about the buns. The French really know how to do that part. All those different bakery fresh types of buns are so superior to the American white bread things. It really makes the burger, whatever it’s make of.
Very interesting post, Lynn, as aways, but I don’t recommend reading ‘Addressing Of the Haggis’ during breakfast.
We’ll try that mushroom burger- it sounds delicious. And you are so right about the buns. The French really know how to do that part. All those different bakery fresh types of buns are so superior to the American white bread things. It really makes the burger, whatever it’s make of.
Very interesting post, Lynn, as aways, but I don’t recommend reading ‘Addressing Of the Haggis’ during breakfast.
We’ll try that mushroom burger- it sounds delicious. And you are so right about the buns. The French really know how to do that part. All those different bakery fresh types of buns are so superior to the American white bread things. It really makes the burger, whatever it’s make of.
Well,dear Lynn, your post is(as always) not only descriptive to capture our imaginations (with wonderful pictures!)but also really informative.I have to be honest, I’m not,never have been,never will be a Haggis fan(understatement).Not only do I most emphatically agree with you about meat and the (many times cruel)killing of animals–and as much as I respect the Scottish people(of whom we also have friends), the idea of this dish is just a turn off to me –no matter how open minded I try to be,just is not gonna happen in my life.What really got me drooling though, is Ron’s favorite,that Caramelized Onion Burger. YUM!!!I can’t wait to make it(like ASAP!)
My book suggestion this time is one by Nicholas Sparks,”Counting Miracles”.No wonder he is so popular and well read;his books are always reliably enjoyable and entertaining–and this one totally does not disappoint.
Well,dear Lynn, your post is(as always) not only descriptive to capture our imaginations (with wonderful pictures!)but also really informative.I have to be honest, I’m not,never have been,never will be a Haggis fan(understatement).Not only do I most emphatically agree with you about meat and the (many times cruel)killing of animals–and as much as I respect the Scottish people(of whom we also have friends), the idea of this dish is just a turn off to me –no matter how open minded I try to be,just is not gonna happen in my life.What really got me drooling though, is Ron’s favorite,that Caramelized Onion Burger. YUM!!!I can’t wait to make it(like ASAP!)
My book suggestion this time is one by Nicholas Sparks,”Counting Miracles”.No wonder he is so popular and well read;his books are always reliably enjoyable and entertaining–and this one totally does not disappoint.
Well,dear Lynn, your post is(as always) not only descriptive to capture our imaginations (with wonderful pictures!)but also really informative.I have to be honest, I’m not,never have been,never will be a Haggis fan(understatement).Not only do I most emphatically agree with you about meat and the (many times cruel)killing of animals–and as much as I respect the Scottish people(of whom we also have friends), the idea of this dish is just a turn off to me –no matter how open minded I try to be,just is not gonna happen in my life.What really got me drooling though, is Ron’s favorite,that Caramelized Onion Burger. YUM!!!I can’t wait to make it(like ASAP!)
My book suggestion this time is one by Nicholas Sparks,”Counting Miracles”.No wonder he is so popular and well read;his books are always reliably enjoyable and entertaining–and this one totally does not disappoint.
Loved this post! Although I haven’t found the smell to be an issue at all. We had haggis in Scotland many years ago, with my husband trying it first. It was wrapped in wontons, tied with green onion, then baked and served with a plum sauce. I was hesitant but he insisted I take one, and I was a convert then and there. We later had haggis, neeps and tatties done in a layered round serving, drizzled with whiskey sauce…. oh my! Can you purchase traditional (and vegetarian) canned haggis here in the US at English or Scottish shops and online, and the site Scottish Scran has dozens of recipes for it! When correctly seasoned it’s quite tasty, even just pan fried. I say give it a go, either traditional or veggie. Be brave lads and lasses – you might like it!
Loved this post! Although I haven’t found the smell to be an issue at all. We had haggis in Scotland many years ago, with my husband trying it first. It was wrapped in wontons, tied with green onion, then baked and served with a plum sauce. I was hesitant but he insisted I take one, and I was a convert then and there. We later had haggis, neeps and tatties done in a layered round serving, drizzled with whiskey sauce…. oh my! Can you purchase traditional (and vegetarian) canned haggis here in the US at English or Scottish shops and online, and the site Scottish Scran has dozens of recipes for it! When correctly seasoned it’s quite tasty, even just pan fried. I say give it a go, either traditional or veggie. Be brave lads and lasses – you might like it!
Loved this post! Although I haven’t found the smell to be an issue at all. We had haggis in Scotland many years ago, with my husband trying it first. It was wrapped in wontons, tied with green onion, then baked and served with a plum sauce. I was hesitant but he insisted I take one, and I was a convert then and there. We later had haggis, neeps and tatties done in a layered round serving, drizzled with whiskey sauce…. oh my! Can you purchase traditional (and vegetarian) canned haggis here in the US at English or Scottish shops and online, and the site Scottish Scran has dozens of recipes for it! When correctly seasoned it’s quite tasty, even just pan fried. I say give it a go, either traditional or veggie. Be brave lads and lasses – you might like it!
I remember when my husband and I were at an inn in the Scottish Highlands and he took the plunge to eat their haggis (he’s up for almost anything — blood sausage almost every morning on that trip). Almost none of the native Scots in the pub were willing to eat it, but they watched him down every bite and cheered him on. Later, my husband confessed it was not that good and he’d never do it again. But thanks for the non-meat burger recipes. I’d like to try to make something beyond a black bean burger but I didn’t know how to make a good mushroom burger like the ones in restaurants. And, yes, there is a hamburger obsession in France. Normally I don’t eat them because I don’t like raw, oozing meat. HOWEVER, the next time you’re in Dijon you have to try the restaurant Foodies! The chef has won burger contests in France AND the US. As for me, I prefer his pulled pork sandwich. Follow him on Instagram.
I remember when my husband and I were at an inn in the Scottish Highlands and he took the plunge to eat their haggis (he’s up for almost anything — blood sausage almost every morning on that trip). Almost none of the native Scots in the pub were willing to eat it, but they watched him down every bite and cheered him on. Later, my husband confessed it was not that good and he’d never do it again. But thanks for the non-meat burger recipes. I’d like to try to make something beyond a black bean burger but I didn’t know how to make a good mushroom burger like the ones in restaurants. And, yes, there is a hamburger obsession in France. Normally I don’t eat them because I don’t like raw, oozing meat. HOWEVER, the next time you’re in Dijon you have to try the restaurant Foodies! The chef has won burger contests in France AND the US. As for me, I prefer his pulled pork sandwich. Follow him on Instagram.
I remember when my husband and I were at an inn in the Scottish Highlands and he took the plunge to eat their haggis (he’s up for almost anything — blood sausage almost every morning on that trip). Almost none of the native Scots in the pub were willing to eat it, but they watched him down every bite and cheered him on. Later, my husband confessed it was not that good and he’d never do it again. But thanks for the non-meat burger recipes. I’d like to try to make something beyond a black bean burger but I didn’t know how to make a good mushroom burger like the ones in restaurants. And, yes, there is a hamburger obsession in France. Normally I don’t eat them because I don’t like raw, oozing meat. HOWEVER, the next time you’re in Dijon you have to try the restaurant Foodies! The chef has won burger contests in France AND the US. As for me, I prefer his pulled pork sandwich. Follow him on Instagram.