Chili Salsa Pinto Black Bean Burgers

Be careful - they lie like a rug! Random bean recipes, that is - at least some of them. I have tried dozens in my quest to perfect the bean burger. Some are tasteless. Some just don't hold together like a burger - and warning - I never met a bean burger that grilled well on a BBQ without falling through. A grill basket might work, though.

Here is a bit of a work in progress. These tasted GREAT! But they were still a bit soft... I'm thinking more Panko, less salsa and cheese - I'll keep you informed. Letting them sit for five minutes after cooking let them pull together and firm up, well enough to be eaten on a bun. Everyone enjoyed them, but they were still very tricky to flip.

6 baby carrots, minced
1 shallot, mined
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can pinto or red beans, rinsed and drained, 1 cup separated
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup fresh salsa
1 tsp salt
palmful fresh cilantro leaves (or parsley, if desired)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
3 oz Monterrey Jack or other cheese, grated

In a small pan, sauté the carrot and shallot in 2 Tbsp olive oil, stirring often, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Set 1 cup pinto beans aside. Toss remaining beans, salsa, salt, cilantro, chili and cumin into a food processor. Pulse several times until coarse, not pureed. Tip into a bowl and mix in the reserved beans, Panko crumbs, cheese, and sautéed carrot mixture. Stir together well, and chill for at least 30 minutes [I left mine overnight]. Form into 6 patties.
Cook burgers on medium-high heat on a flat non-stick skillet [I find the ridged grill pans are not convenient for flipping and shaking/sliding the burgers as you cook], until browned on each side, about 5 minutes – watch carefully, and flip carefully. Transfer carefully to a cutting board and let sit for 5 minutes to firm-up.

Great with Cole Slaw.