Garden Burger with Mushroom and Peppers

Preparation Time20 min

Cooking Time30 min

First, toast and grind the pecan nuts: cook them in a dry frying pan over a low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until slightly browned but not burned.
Grind nuts in a blender or food processor - I find it helps to add some of the breadcrumbs to the blender to stop the nuts flying everywhere.
Chop the onion and garlic. Saute in vegetable stock (or use oil) until softened and slightly browned.
Meanwhile, chop the pepper and mushrooms. Finely chop the chilli (if using).
When the onions are ready, add these other vegetables and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until everything is tender, adding a little water if things start to stick.
Add the hoisin sauce, mix well and continue to cook until the sauce is thick.
Place the vegetable mixture in a blender along with the cooked rice, and pulse a few times to blend things together, leaving some pieces of vegetables whole.
Mix in the toasted, ground pecan nuts and breadcrumbs. Season to taste only if necessary. If the mixture seems a bit sloppy, mix in some potato flakes, instant mashed potato or more breadcrumbs to help bind it. Don't use flour as it won't have time to cook properly.
If possible, leave in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes - it will keep there for a few days. Form into burgers - you can make them quite thin and flat, with smooth edges.
To cook them, fry or bake. Be careful when turning them not to disturb the browned crust. Nice with ketchup and red onion in a brown roll.