Oyster Mushroom Burgers

This mushroom burger is beloved by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. With its satisfying combination of Halloumi cheese, oyster mushrooms, egg, and ground hazelnuts, the texture isn’t far off that of an ordinary hamburger, but it is far more flavorful.

Mushroom burgers can be a bit tricky to grill because they burn easily. To avoid this, I grill them on a buttered piece of foil placed on the grate of the grill, and not too close to the
embers. You can also pre-cook them in a sauté pan and then finish them off in a grill
basket over the embers.

Mushroom Burgers
• 7 oz. (200 g) oyster mushrooms
• 2½ inches (5 cm) of leek, white part only
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup (50 g) butter, for sautéing
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (250 ml) hazelnut flour
• 8¾ oz. (250 g) Halloumi cheese
• 3 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
• ¼ cup (50 ml) coconut flour
• ¼ cup (50 ml) chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons French tarragon
• butter, for brushing

Chop the mushrooms into small dice, and finely chop the leek. Mince the garlic. Brown
the butter lightly and sauté the leeks for a few minutes to sweat them, not to brown them.

Add in the mushrooms, season with salt and chili flakes, and let cook over medium heat
for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Pull the pan from the heat, and mix
in the hazelnut flour. Let cool.

Meanwhile, grate the Halloumi coarsely. Mix the cheese, egg yolks, and the whole egg,
coconut flour, and herbs in a bowl and mix well. Add in the sautéed mushroom-leek mix,
a little at a time, and make sure that everything is thoroughly mixed.

Taste and season it with more salt if needed, although you might not have to, as Halloumi
is already quite salty. Let the mixture rest for half an hour. Wet your hands and then shape
the mix into eight burgers. Flatten them so they’re approximately 1¼ inches (30 mm) high.

Tear out two big pieces of foil, place one on top of the other, and fold in the edges to make
the sheets stay together. Brush the sheets generously with melted butter. Place the foil on
the grate of the grill, and let the butter brown slightly. Place the burgers on the foil, and
grill for 2–3 minutes on each side; season lightly with salt and pepper.

If you want more color on the burgers, place them directly in an oil-brushed basket and
grill 1 minute per side over direct heat. Serve the burgers between slices of grilled zucchini
and onion rings that have been soaked in cold water.

Turkish carrot sauté and garlic butter are both delicious accompaniments to these burgers.

Article Source: Low Carb High Fat Barbecue by Birgitta Hoglund