Saturday, June 2nd ~ 12 noon to 10:00pm
1818 Felt Street in Live Oak
Parking at Shoreline Middle School (17th and Felt)
Amber at GMO Rally |
Amber Making Her Sign for Santa Cruz Label GMO Rally |
Serve 6 (about two burgers each)
Pecans are a delicious, nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich nut native to North America. That is why pecans were chosen for these great uncooked burgers. Instead of cooking, these burgers are dehydrated until a crust forms on top and yet still moist inside. A tasty tangy tomato pesto and marinated onion rings are the crowning features of these burgers.
2 cups pecans, soaked 6 hours
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup parsley leaves, chopped large
½ cup flax seed meal
½ cup purple onion, diced large
2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce), tamari or 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink crystal salt
¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink crystal salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
12 large outer leaves of Bibb lettuce
1 recipe Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, see below
1 recipe Marinated Purple Onion Rings, see recipe below
Shape into Burgers: On a piece of unbleached parchment paper cut to the size of your dehydrator tray, put 2 tablespoons of the nut mixture (for small appetizer size burgers) or ¼ cup (for larger burgers) and into a burger about ¼-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
For an Artful Presentation (optional) Assemble Burger: On a large platter or individual dishes, put the 12 leaves of lettuce. Place a burger on each lettuce leaf, spread some Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto over their tops and crown with the Marinated Purple Onion Rings.
Store: Keep these burgers in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Put sheets of natural wax paper between the layers.
Serving Ideas: Serve Pecan Burgers as the main dish of a meal, as little appetizers for a stand-up buffet or as a snack when you need a little extra protein.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce
Makes About One Cup
A pizzazy tomato sauce alive with flavor, texture and color. Let this tasty delight crown your main dishes whenever a tomato taste is desired. It is especially complementary served over Pecan Burgers (see above).
1 medium tomato, cut in large chunks
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill weed or basil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon agave nectar or other sweetener
½ teaspoon pink Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
Process: In a food processor, put all the ingredients and process until slightly chunky.
Serving Ideas: Use like you would catchup.
How to Store: Store in a covered glass container for up to 5 days.
Marinated Purple Onion Rings
About Twenty Onion Rings
Marinated Purple Onion Rings can be made in a snap but must marinate for several hours to be at their best. They are a tasty and attractive addition to a meal or tossed into a salad. Purple onions are often mistakenly labeled red onions.
To the Chef: Start early as these onion rings will need to marinat for 3 hours. Slice the onion thick or thin depending on the texture, taste and look you are wanting to achieve. I prefer thinly sliced for Pecan Burgers as they will be more supple, slightly sweet and will tend to clump together and loose their shape. A thicker cut onion will be slightly crunchier, have a spicier taste and will keep its shape longer. Cut your onion with a sharp knife or for a uniform precision cut, use a mandolin or V-slicer.
Onion Rings in Marinade Sauce
1 medium purple onion, sliced in thick or thin rings
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu (soy sauce)
¼ tablespoon Himalayan pink crystal salt
Shake all Ingredients: In a wide mouth jar, put all the ingredients. Tightly cover with the lid. Shake to coat the onion slices. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Serving Ideas: These onion rings can be used to garnish on top of savory dishes, add them as a minor ingredient to salads or as a major ingredient to a simple salad of sliced tomato and perhaps some cucumber and sweet basil.
How to Store: Marinated Purple Onion Rings are best used the day they are made.