Black Bean and Green Burger

A black bean burger is not by any means juicy.  If you slapped it on a bread bun, you'd be on a high speed train to dry town.  But if you put this flavor-packed patty on a bibb lettuce bun, you're in store for a cooling, fresh, energizing burger experience. You can even eat two of these bean beasts and still feel like you can run a marathon, not so for your standard meat burger.  Save your meat burger for the weekend and spend your weeknights with a Black Bean and Green Burger.  Don't fret if you're sans Cuisinart; you can make these burgers with a bowl and a wooden spoon too.  So make your shopping list and look forward to a guilt-free burger night.

RECIPE

Makes 4 burgers

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided in half

1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

5 1/2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 cup finely chopped parsley

1 scallion, white and light green part only

1 loosely packed cup of kale or spinach

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8-16 leaves iceberg, boston or bibb lettuce

1.  Dump 1/2 of the beans in a food processor along with the mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cumin, cayenne, parsley, scallion, kale and a few pinches of salt and pepper.  Blend until a firm ball forms; it will look like dough. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining beans until fully incorporated.  (If you don't have a food processor, mash the beans in a bowl and mince the  parsley, scallion and kale before adding them into the bean paste)

2.  Form the bean batter into 4 hamburger-sized patties.

3.  Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook the bean burgers until the outsides are crisp and browned, turning once, about 5 minutes total.

4.  Serve using 2 to 4 leaves of lettuce for each burger (one or two for the top, one or two for the bottom).  Top with hot sauce, guacamole, mayo, relish, pickled jalapeños, or any other condiments you dig.