When I first started spending time in California, I remember walking into brightly painted cafes in LA, such as Cafe Gratitude or its east-side sister, Sage, and being so excited by the food.
The menus read like something from a diner; however, the elements were a list of farmers’ marketplace vegetables, spices, and grains—stuff I cooked with at home. As a vegetarian 10 years ago, it felt like a massive novelty to be able to eat something on the menu—food that felt like a treat but was made with a rainbow of good stuff, and it has influenced how I prepare dinner.
I discover LA an ad infinitum inspiring region to cook, eat, and learn new ideas, so this week’s recipes are an ode to those first inspiring foods, which I nevertheless crave: a spiced carrot burger with spiced roast carrots, tofu, and smoked paprika, that is loaded with more veg inside the shape of avocado salsa, and a rainbow veg bowl, which is the form of element I devour for lunch or dinner in spring and summer time.
Roast carrot burger with avocado salsa
This has turned out to be our favorite veggie burger. I use vegetarian parmesan, but you could use vegan cheese alternatively. Once cool, the raw burgers may be wrapped and frozen for up to four months.
Prep 30 min
Chill 1 hr
Cook forty min
Makes six burgers
600g carrots, peeled and reduced into 1-2cm-thick rounds
1 tsp candy smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds, bashed in a mortar
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil
200g smoked or firm tofu
100g breadcrumbs
One small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Zest of one unwaxed lemon
60g grated (vegetarian or vegan) parmesan
50g sesame seeds, toasted
For the salsa
Two avocados stoned and roughly chopped
100g cherry tomatoes, kind of chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime
three spring onions, finely sliced
½ bunch coriander, finely chopped
For the short pickled radishes
½ bunch radishes, finely sliced
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
One squeeze of honey or a pinch of sugar
To serve
Six burger buns, break up and toasted
Mayonnaise
Lettuce
First, roast the carrots. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/ fuel 6. Tumble the carrots onto a baking tray with the smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper, and an amazing drizzle of olive oil. Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes, then dispose of the foil and roast for a further 10 minutes till completely gentle and starting to brown.
While these are roasting, finely chop half the tofu into a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest, parmesan, and sesame seeds.
Once the carrots are prepared, remove them from the oven (leave the oven on if baking your burgers), let them chill a little, and then blitz them in a processor with the last tofu until the whole lot is flippantly distributed and the aggregate is quite smooth.
Leave to chill a touch, then add this to the breadcrumb mixture and mix nicely, using a spoon to mash and force everything to come together. If your mixture looks a little dry, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil or water until it comes together nicely.
Shape the mixture into six patties, lay them on a plate, and refrigerate them for an hour.
Once you’re geared up to cook dinner, place a large frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil, swirling it to coat the pan. Add the burgers, and prepare dinner for 3 to four mins on every facet, flipping while well-colored – or bake for 25-30 minutes. If you’re barbecuing the burgers, brush them with oil earlier than cooking on one facet, flipping most effectively when they’re colored and crisp sufficient to come back far away from the bars easily.
While the burgers are cooking, make the salsa, add all the substances to a bowl, season well, deliver an amazing mix, and set it apart.
Place the radishes in a bowl, cover with the vinegar, add the salt and honey/sugar, and blend nicely for the pickle.
When the burgers are nearly done, break up and toast your buns.
Spread one-half of each bun with a spoonful of mayonnaise, then pinnacle with lettuce leaves, a touch of salsa, a burger, and a tablespoon of the pickle. Cover with the bun lid and consume immediately.
LA rainbow bowl
This is amazing for a clean, quick lunch at the cross and might, without problems, be put together in a tiny office kitchen or on a picnic rug in the park (you can bring the hummus, dressing, and cooked grains, plus the uncooked veg and a speed peeler to peel them right into the bowl). I often make a model of this at home for lunch, and you can swap the veg for what’s in season and trade the quinoa for another grain, too.
