White Bean Patties

This isn’t exactly the kind of recipe that would normally catch my eye.  But as we sit, just like you, housebound during the spring of COVID-19, I’m doing a few things out of the ordinary. It just happens that this week I received five pounds of organic spring carrots from a local farm, and three cans of white beans were ready for something in my pantry. So when this recipe came up in my feed this week I thought, why not? 

It turned out to be a fantastic idea, made even better by a sprinkling of mixed Greek herbs from my podcast buddy, herbalist Teri Brooks. I can imagine using a number of other herb blends such as Italian seasoning, Herbes de Provence, or even Za’atar to enhance these patties, so please use your imagination.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 cup nut crumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups packed grated carrot (from four medium carrots)
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Three 15-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flax meal and 5 tablespoons hot water, mix and let rest five minutes) 
• 2 heaping tablespoons of mixed dried herbs (Greek, Italian, Herbes de Provence, Za’atar, etc.)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Accompaniments, as you like

Directions

1. Begin by heating the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add onion, reduce heat, and saute until translucent.
2. Add tomato paste, salt, and carrots, increasing heat to medium. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown and tender. 
3. Pour vinegar over mixture, stir well and heat until all liquid has evaporated in the pan.
4. Add herbs, salt, and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
5. Rinse and drain beans. Using a potato masher or large fork, roughly mash beans, leaving about ⅓ whole. Add to seasoned veggie mixture, along with flax egg, and blend well. You may want to use your hands to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Remove from skillet and allow mixture to set for 15-30 minutes.
7. Use an ice cream scoop or ½ cup measure to portion and shape into patties. Wipe skillet clean, add oil to just cover the bottom. Heat cooktop to medium and add just three at a time, allowing for room to flip easily. Give each side 3-4 minutes to brown.
   Note: Patties are fragile, so handle with care when turning and putting on platter to serve

Serve with this yummy avocado mayo or a sauce of your choice. Enjoy!

Inspired by Smitten Kitchen’s Carrot and White Bean Burgers