These 100% Vegan Spicy cheese burgers go great on a BBQ!

Ingredients:

450 g firm tofu ( I get the 500g bag in Asian market and trim off the edges)
500g vital wheat gluten,
8 tbsp nutritional yeast,
2 tsp paprika, Plus more for dusting,
2 tsp onion powder,
2 tsp garlic powder,
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (I use hickory),
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar,
2 tbsp agave nectar,
250 – 300 ml ice cold water,
1 vegan stock cube made to 200 ml and let cool,
1 tbsp pistachio oil,
Block of Violife mozzarella cheese cubed 3 cm cubes,
4 large jalapenos,
12 sun dried tomatoes,
2 tbsp cumin.

Method

1. Blend everything bar wheat gluten, mozzarella, jalapenos, and sun-dried tomatoes in a blender until smooth and should be very runny, keep back 50 – 100 ml cold water. You don’t want the dough to be too wet.
2. Chop Jalapeno , pat dry sun dried tomato with paper towel and dice. Add to food processor along with cubed cheese.
3. Place wheat gluten in the food processor with a dough hook attachment and add the half first of the wet ingredients, blend, then add the other half of the wet ingredients.
4. All wheat gluten should be blended in to the dough if not add a bit more water to ensure it is well mixed in.
5. Remove dough from bowl and knead for about 5 min. The dough should be easy to form. If it is too dry add some more water while in the processor
6. Form dough into a log shape it should be about 3″ – 4″ in height and about a foot long, ( You should still be able to fit it into your steamer basket) and dust with sweet paprika and fresh ground black pepper.
7. Once well coated, grease some tinfoil with olive oil. Wrap the log tightly in foil ensuring to twist the ends (you don’t want any water to get in during cooking).
8. Place in steamer for 40 min.
9. In the last 15 min pre heat fan oven to 180 deg c after the 40 min is up place log on a baking tray and pop into oven on middle shelf.
10. Bake for about 30 min.
11. Remove from oven allow to cool in the wrap.
12. It is also an amazing “meat loaf” at this stage. Serve with some gravy and chips for that long lost comfort food.
13. Once cooled remove the foil wrap and slice as thick as you can take it. I would typically aim to get 10 – 12 burgers from this size log but you may want them thinner.

You can cook them on the pan now or re-wrap and freeze for midweek Noms, If freezing remove from freezer and defrost thoroughly before use.

To cook now, lightly oil a frying pan, cook on a medium heat for 4 – 5 min each side until just golden and crispy edged.

Serving:

A big burger like this needs a BIG BUN! You will want a white flowery bap heated in the oven so its just crispy on the outside. Place the burger in the bap, add some fresh sliced organic tomato, pickle, crunchy onion and lashings of sriracha sauce or some egg free mayo if you like it a bit cooler. Add a side salad of cous cous or quinoa and your all set. Wash it down with a cold beer straight from the bottle.

Storage:

If not using straight away separate into typical meal sizes, wrap in foil and pop in the freezer. They should be good for about 3 months in a properly rated freezer but mine have never lasted that long…

I would love to hear how you get along with this recipe. Please feel free to post some comments below. Thanks and enjoy!!

This recipe was posted on our website feoilfreefamily.com previously