Black bean burgers with chipotle ketchup

  Both vegetarians and meat-eaters will be fans of these tasty black bean burgers. You'll get the satisfaction of eating the real thing for just a fraction of the cholesterol and saturated fat. Plus, these high-fiber patties can be prepared ahead of time and frozen for later meals. Add a baked sweet potato or mixed salad on the side and you're all set! Yum.    higher in fiber and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, so they make an excellent stand-in for regular hamburgers. Looks like a lot of ingredients However, most are spices you already have in your pantry.  

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup(s) beans, black, dried
  picked over and rinsed, soaked overnight, and drained
• 3 cup(s) water
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 2 whole tomato(es), roma
  peeled and seeded then diced
• 1 whole onion(s), yellow
  chopped
• 4 clove(s) garlic
  minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon vinegar, wine
• 1 whole pepper(s), chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce
  minced
• 1 3/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 tablespoon oil, canola
• 1/2 whole pepper(s), red, bell
  seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup(s) rice, brown, cooked
• 1/4 cup(s) nuts, pecans
  chopped
• 1 whole onion(s), green
  thinly sliced
• 1 egg(s)
  lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup(s) bread crumbs, whole-wheat, coarse, dried
  fresh
• 6 whole hamburger buns, whole-wheat
• 6 slice(s) tomato(es)
• 6 slice(s) onion(s), red
• 3 leaves lettuce, bibb
  halved
  
  

  Instructions

  Serves 6
  In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the beans, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer until the beans are tender, 60 to 70 minutes. Drain and discard the bay leaf.While the beans are cooking, combine the tomatoes, half the yellow onion, half the garlic, the tomato paste, vinegar, chipotle chili, 3/4 teaspoon of the cumin and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and the mixture is a thick sauce, about 5 minutes. Set the chipotle ketchup aside to cool.
  In a frying pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the canola oil over medium heat. Add the remaining yellow onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper and the remaining garlic and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool. Set the pan aside.
  In a food processor, combine the drained beans, onion mixture, brown rice, pecans, green onion, the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pulse several times until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Fold in the beaten egg and bread crumbs. Form the mixture into 6 patties, each about 3/4-inch thick.
  In the same pan used for the onion mixture, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides and heated through, 7 to 9 minutes total.
  Serve each burger on a bun topped with 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice, 1/2 lettuce leaf and a dollop of the ketchup.
  Serving size: 1 prepared burger
  Source: This recipe is one of 150 recipes collected in The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook, published by Mayo Clinic Health Information and Oxmoor House, and winner of the 2005 James Beard award.