Shereen Abutom
Senior Culinary Innovation Manager
Del Taco Restaurants

Mushroom Falafel Burger with Lee Kum Kee^® Chiu Chow Style Chili Crisp Oil

Recipe courtesy of Chef Shereen Abutom
Sponsor: Lee Kum Kee

Servings: 6

Ingredients

Chiu Chow Style Chili Oil Labneh Spread:

• 1 c labneh
• ¼ c Lee Kum Kee^® Chiu Chow Style Chili Oil

Burger Patty:

• 12 oz mushrooms, blend of shiitake (stems trimmed) & cremini, washed, dried and sliced
• 4 Tbsp Lee Kum Kee^® Chiu Chow Style Chili Oil (2 Tbsp oil with particulate and 2 Tbsp oil only, no particulate)
• 2 15-oz cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 c coarsely chopped yellow onions (approx. ½ lg)
• 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 med jalapeño, coarsely chopped (use whole chile if more heat is preferred)
• 2 c parsley leaves (packed), washed and dried
• 1 c cilantro leaves, some stems ok (packed), washed and dried
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• Olive oil for shallow frying, as needed

Any combination of the following ingredients for garnish and toppings:

• Burger buns, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, sliced red onions, turnip pickles, pickled wild cucumbers, olives

Directions

For the Chiu Chow Style Chili Oil Labneh Spread:

1. Mix labneh and chili oil and refrigerate until ready to build burgers.

For the Burger Patty:

1. Sauté mushrooms in 2 Tbsp chili oil (w/o particulate) until mushrooms are well caramelized and most of the moisture is driven out. Set aside to cool.
2. Toss garbanzo beans in 2 Tbsp chili oil (w particulate), spread onto a sheet pan, and roast for 20 to 30 minutes at 375°F. The goal is to dry out the garbanzo beans, so they don’t turn into hummus in the food processor. The beans will shrink in size a bit and will go from a soft to a firm texture but not hard. Set aside to cool.
3. Add onions, garlic, jalapeno, parsley and cilantro to a food processor and pulse to achieve a very coarse chop. Add mushrooms and beans. Continue to pulse mixture, stopping to scrape down sides periodically. Continue to pulse until it forms a crumbly mixture, being careful not to over purée. Mixture should remain slightly coarse but hold its shape when pressed together.
4. Place mixture into a bowl and add coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and mix well. At this point you can taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning if needed.
5. Add flour and eggs and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
6. Divide mixture into 6 equal-size balls and form into patties.
7. Pan fry patties in olive oil at medium to medium high – approximately 5 minutes per side or until brown on both sides. Do not try to flip the patties until a crust has formed.
8. To build burgers, toast buns, spread Chili Oil Labneh Spread on bottom and top of bun, and add falafel patty and toppings as desired.

Chef’s Notes

I decided to simplify this recipe by using canned garbanzo beans rather than starting with dry garbanzo beans. This burger will deliver on the traditional flavor of falafel, but the texture is more like a black bean burger.

The addition of mushrooms lightens up the dense mixture and contributes a savory, umami lift to the recipe.

The tangy labneh is a nice contrast to the rich and spicy Chiu Chow Chili Oil.

Project Management: Summit F&B
Photography: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley