Moroccan Chickpea Burger

How to make Moroccan Chickpea Burger Recipe - When Andrea’s son, Luke, lived in Morocco, he made a couple of trips to Fez, a city known for its beauty, culture, and history. While there, he always made sure to stop at Café Clock, a popular spot owned and operated by a colorful British ex-pat. He couldn’t get enough of the famed camel burger, but the café also boasts a wonderful chickpea burger, flavored with preserved lemons, a local staple. Luke’s adaptation follows.

Ingredients:

2 (19-ounce, 535 g) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed

Rind of 1 preserved lemon, chopped

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons (4 g) cumin powder

1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground ginger

Handful fresh parsley leaves

Kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste

1 red onion, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons (17 g) chickpea flour

Oil, for cooking (1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 28 ml)

6 egg rolls, split in half horizontally

Harissa Mayo (recipe follows)

Parsley Salad (recipe follows)

Method:

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the chickpeas, garlic, preserved lemon rind, egg, cumin powder, coriander, ginger, parsley, salt, and white pepper.

Pulse 6 to 7 times. Transfer two-thirds of the mixture to a bowl and process the remaining mixture until smooth. Fold the chickpea purée into the chunkier mixture and then fold in the chopped onion and chickpea flour. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, divide the mixture into 6 even portions and shape into patties.

Pour enough oil into a large skillet to coat the bottom. Set over medium-high heat and cook patties for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip the patties and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes until golden. Transfer to a plate.

Turn the heat to low and place the rolls, cut sides down, in the skillet. Heat for just under a minute until lightly brown. (You may have to do this in batches.)

To serve: Slather the tops and bottoms of the rolls with Harissa Mayo and place burgers on bottoms of rolls. Mound on some Parsley Salad and top with the other half of the bun. YIELD: 6 burgers

HARISSA MAYO:

1/2 cup (115 g) Best.Mayo.Ever or your favorite mayonnaise

1/3 cup (85 g) harissa (North African chile paste; available at most Middle Eastern markets, or see Resources)

In a small bowl, stir the mayo and harissa together. Refrigerate, covered, until needed or up to 1 week. YIELD: Scant 3/4 cup (200 g)

PARSLEY SALAD:

1 small bunch fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice or to taste

1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil

Coarse sea salt to taste

In a medium bowl, mix together the parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil with your hands. Sprinkle with sea salt. YIELD: 6 servings as burger topping

Moroccan Chickpea Burger