The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (138 page)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Store-bought veggie burgers border on inedible, but most homemade renditions are a lot of work. We wanted a recipe that delivered results worth the effort. We didn’t want them to taste like hamburgers, but we did want them to act like hamburgers, having a modicum of chew, a harmonious blend of savory ingredients, and the ability to go from grill to bun without falling apart. We found veggie burgers made with soy-based products bland, sour, or gummy, so we turned to lentils and bulgur, which, when combined, gave us just the texture we were after. For meaty flavor, we turned to food rich in umami—specifically, cremini mushrooms and cashews. Panko bread crumbs were the perfect binder.

MAKES 12 BURGERS

Canned lentils can be used, though some flavor will be sacrificed. Use a 15-ounce can, drain the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer, and thoroughly rinse under cold running water before spreading them on paper towels and drying them, as directed in step 1 below. If you cannot find panko, use 1 cup of plain bread crumbs. If you plan to freeze the patties, note that you will need to increase the amount of bread crumbs since the patties increase in moisture content with freezing and thawing (see make-ahead directions below).

1.
Bring 3 cups water, lentils, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just beginning to fall apart, about 25 minutes. Drain in fine-mesh strainer. Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels and spread drained lentils over paper towels. Gently pat lentils dry with additional paper towels. Cool lentils to room temperature.

2.
While lentils simmer, bring 2 cups water and ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Stir bulgur into boiling water and cover immediately; let sit off heat until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in fine-mesh strainer, then use rubber spatula to press out excess moisture. Transfer bulgur to medium bowl and set aside.

3.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, celery, leek, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Spread vegetable mixture onto second baking sheet to cool; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Spread mushrooms on baking sheet with vegetable mixture; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

4.
Process cashews in food processor until finely chopped, about 15 pulses (do not wash workbowl). Stir cashews into bowl with bulgur, then stir in cooled lentils, vegetable-mushroom mixture, and mayonnaise. Transfer half of mixture to now-empty food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, 15 to 20 pulses (mixture should be cohesive but roughly textured). Transfer processed mixture to large bowl and repeat with remaining unprocessed mixture; combine with first batch.

5.
Stir in panko and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and season with pepper to taste. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Divide mixture into 12 portions, about ¹⁄
₂
cup each, shaping each into tightly packed patty about 4 inches in diameter and ¹⁄
₂
inch thick. Place patties on prepared baking sheet (paper towels will absorb excess moisture).

6A. FOR THE STOVETOP:
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook burgers, 4 at a time, until well browned, about 4 minutes per side (if browning too quickly, lower heat to medium). Repeat with additional oil and burgers. Serve. (Cooked burgers can be kept warm in 250-degree oven for up to 30 minutes.)

6B. FOR THE GRILL:
For charcoal grill, open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. For gas grill, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate. Grill burgers, without moving them, until well browned, about 5 minutes; flip burgers and continue cooking until well browned on second side, about 5 minutes. Serve.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
Patties can be prepared through step 5 and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze patties. For each burger to be frozen, add 1 teaspoon panko bread crumbs or ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon plain bread crumbs to mixture before shaping. Thaw frozen patties overnight in refrigerator on triple layer of paper towels, covered loosely. Before cooking, pat patties dry with paper towels and reshape to make sure they are tightly packed and cohesive.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

The roots of this savory spinach and feta pie, with its trademark layers of flaky, crisp phyllo, run deep in Greek culture, yet most stateside versions are nothing more than soggy layers of phyllo with a sparse, bland filling. We wanted a casserole-style pie with a perfect balance of zesty spinach filling and shatteringly crisp phyllo crust—and we didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. Using store-bought phyllo was an easy timesaver. Among the various spinach options (baby, frozen, mature curly-leaf), tasters favored the bold flavor of fresh curly-leaf spinach that had been microwaved, coarsely chopped, then squeezed of excess moisture. Crumbling the feta into fine pieces ensured a salty tang in every bite, while the addition of Greek yogurt buffered the assertiveness of the feta. We found that Pecorino Romano (a good stand-in for a traditional Greek hard sheep’s-milk cheese) added complexity to the filling and, when sprinkled between the sheets of phyllo, helped the flaky layers hold together. Using a baking sheet rather than a baking dish allowed excess moisture to easily evaporate, ensuring a crisp crust.

See “TIPS FOR TAMING PHYLLO” illustrations that follow recipe.

SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A MAIN COURSE OR 10 TO 12 AS AN APPETIZER

It is important to rinse the feta; this step removes some of its salty brine, which would overwhelm the spinach. Full-fat sour cream can be substituted for whole-milk Greek yogurt. Phyllo dough is also available in larger 14 by 18-inch sheets; if using, cut them in half to make 14 by 9-inch sheets. Don’t thaw the phyllo in the microwave; let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 4 to 5 hours.

FILLING

PHYLLO LAYERS

1. FOR THE FILLING:
Place spinach and water in large bowl. Cover bowl with large dinner plate (plate should completely cover bowl and not rest on spinach). Microwave until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave and keep covered for 1 minute. Carefully remove plate and transfer spinach to colander. Using back of rubber spatula, gently press spinach against colander to release excess liquid. Transfer spinach to cutting board and chop coarse. Transfer spinach to clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess water. Place drained spinach in large bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.

2. FOR THE PHYLLO LAYERS:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using pastry brush, lightly brush 14 by 9-inch rectangle in center of parchment with melted butter to cover area same size as phyllo. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on buttered parchment and brush thoroughly with melted butter. Repeat with 9 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter (you should have total of 10 layers of phyllo).

3.
Spread spinach mixture evenly over phyllo, leaving ¹⁄
₄
-inch border on all sides. Cover spinach with 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter and sprinkling each with about 2 tablespoons Pecorino cheese. Lay 2 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with butter (do not sprinkle these layers with Pecorino).

4.
Working from center outward, use palms of your hands to compress layers and press out any air pockets. Using sharp knife, score spanakopita through top 3 layers of phyllo into 24 equal pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Bake until phyllo is golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Slide spanakopita, still on parchment, onto cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
Filling can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. Freeze assembled, unbaked spanakopita on baking sheet, wrapped well in plastic wrap, or cut spanakopita in half crosswise and freeze smaller sections on plate. Bake spanakopita frozen, increasing baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.