Mushroom and Lentil Burgers

It's January and everyone is looking for non-Christmas food. This is a lovely little recipe for just that. I even managed to have a vegan supper with these beauties. Serve them in a roll with homemade humous, salsa and lettuce. Absolute winner.

Ingredients

500g chestnut mushrooms*
250g puy lentils
2 pinches chilli powder
good grate of nutmeg
4 cloves garlic
Black pepper
150g small porridge oats
100g spelt grains
1 onion

Plain flour for coating
Olive oil for frying

*do add more exotic types if you can or a small splash of truffle oil

Method

Slice the mushrooms, put them into a cold frying pan and turn up the heat. Fry till all the liquid has come out and evaporated. Now season with chilli, nutmeg and black pepper and set aside.

Now fry the finely chopped onion till soft and golden. Add the garlic for the last two minutes.

Now blitz the onion, mushrooms and puy lentils in a blender until they form a wet pate. Do not blitz again, but stir in the spelt grains and then add the oats and leave for 10-15 minutes to allow them to absorb liquid.

Finally, form the dough into patties that fit into the palm of your hand. Coat these in plain flour and fry in a fairly hot pan in lots of olive oil.