Roasted cauliflower and couscous burger

This delicious veggie burger, made from roasted cauliflower and spiced with dukkah, is a welcome vegetarian alternative to a grilled black mushroom on a bun.

 
Chef Khanya Mzongwana (of Off The Wall Pop Up Restaurant) created this cauliflower and couscous burger for the African Beer Emporium menu.

We featured the up-and-coming beer hall in our May 2016 issue, and their plans to bring funky aesthetics and African beers to the Pretoria CBD. Their official opening date is now set for October: but you can still pop in on market days on the last Saturday and first Sunday of every month to visit their pop-up shop.

(The ABE team advises that this burger pairs particularly well with Kenya’s Tusker beer.)

Roasted cauliflower and couscous burger with dill mayonnaise

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the burger patty

• 400g cauliflower florets
• 1T oil
• 200g couscous, steamed
• 2T Egyptian dukkah
• 1T flour
• 1T Cajun seasoning
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• salt and pepper

Cooking method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Toss the cauliflower florets with the oil, salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes. Allow to cool and chop finely.
2. In a bowl, combine the chopped cauliflower with the rest of the ingredients and using your hands shape into four patties.
3. Heat a nonstick frying pan and add a little olive oil. Gently fry the patties until a beautiful golden brown color on either side, about four minutes on each side.

 
For the dill mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup celery leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 T plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper to taste

Stir all the ingredients together and set aside.

 
To assemble the burgers

• 4 seeded burger buns, sliced open and toasted slightly
• 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• Various salad leaves (watercress, lettuce, rocket), washed

 
Spread the bottom half of the burger buns generously with the dill mayonnaise and top with a handful of salad leaves, tomato slices, red onion and finally the burger patty. Serve immediately!