Summertime, and the Grilling is Easy

by Kathy Humphrey

You know how it goes: “In the summertime when the weather is high, you can stretch right up and touch the sky; when the weather’s fine, you got burgers, you got burgers on your mind.” There is no denying the siren call of the season, luring the outdoor cooks from their cozy hammocks and loungers, away from their ball games and their beachcombing. The evenings get balmy and the air fills with the luscious scents of other people’s dinners sizzling sweetly on grills up and down the street. Kebabs are convenient and pizzas made on grilled flatbread are a fun meal. Zucchini, eggplant, and pineapple are all game to go on the grill. Sometimes, though, a body yearns for basics. Burgers are an easy meal-in-one: they are portable and can be dressed up or down. Everyone at the table can feel as though they are eating their own tailor-made meal, varying condiments, toppings and bun choices to suit individual tastes. My supply of family-raised, organically fed happy beef has dwindled down to the last couple of pot roasts, and so I’m coming into prime barbecue season thinking about beefless burgers. I find I have less and less of an appetite for mass-produced meat, especially when I have recourse to many delicious beef-free recipes which break the monotony as well as ease the conscience a bit. Add the burgers below to your summertime grilling repertoire, finished however suits your taste, and “Sing along with us, dee-dee-dee-dee-dee, da-da-da-da-da…yeah, we’re happy happy.”

Bean Burger
1 cup white kidney beans, mashed so that some remain whole
1/2 cup vegetable stock, as needed
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch cayenne, if desired

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Shape into 5 patties. Heat large skillet over medium flame. Pour 1-2 Tbsp olive oil into skillet. Fry patties 4-5 minutes per side, until heated through and golden in colour with a slight crust. Serve on toasted buns, with lettuce, tomato and grilled onions (or any of your favourite toppings).

Terrific Tuna Patties
2 cans tuna (water-packed), drained
2 eggs, beaten
1 carrot, finely grated
3 Tbsp breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp rolled oats
1 green onion, diced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 pinch cayenne
4 tsp olive oil

Place all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands, mix until well combined. Shape into 4 patties. Heat olive oil in large skillet, over medium-high heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until crispy on the outside and heated through. (Can cook on indoor or outdoor grill. If using outdoor grill, place tinfoil under patties in case they fall apart). Serve on kaiser rolls with lettuce and wasabi mayonnaise.

Sesame Turkey Burgers
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
3 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 green onions, minced
2-3 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp pureed garlic
2 Tbsp sesame oil
salt, to taste
1 cup breadcrumbs (more, if required)
pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Shape into 5 patties. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Brush with oil before grilling. Cook on preheated grill, either indoors or outdoors, for 5-6 minutes per side, or until done. (If grilling on an outdoor grill, use more breadcrumbs to help keep the patties together). Serve on burger buns with your favourite condiments (lettuce and fresh tomato are ideal).

Portobello Burgers
4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
4 round crusty rolls
8 slices mozzarella cheese
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
handful arugula leaves (or green lettuce)

Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high. Whisk together oil, vinegar and rosemary in small bowl. Slice rolls, brush with oil mixture, and grill until lightly toasted (about 1 minute). Transfer to serving platter. Brush mushrooms on both sides with oil mixture; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on grill, gill side down. Cook until mushrooms begin to soften (about 5 minutes), brushing with marinade once. Turn mushrooms over, continue grilling until tender. Top each mushroom with 2 slices of cheese. Grill until cheese melts. Place 1 mushroom on bottom half of each roll. Top with tomato, arugula and top of roll.

Kathy Humphrey lives in Victoria with her husband and two children. She tries to see cooking for a family not as a chore but as a creative outlet.