Annie Bell’s healthier planet burger recipe

A crowd-pleasing dish that happens to be kind to the environment.

“ These burgers go down the half-beef, half-lentil route, and they are every bit as satisfying as a pure beef burger,” says Annie Bell, author of Healthier Planet, Healthier You.

“Extras of fried onions, grated cheese, sliced lettuce, or salsa and guacamole for a ‘fiesta’, are also good. Personally I like to eat these sandwiched between crisp lettuce leaves rather than a bun, but over to you.”

Healthier planet burgers

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

For the burgers: 300g lean minced beef 300g cooked green lentils 2 heaped tbsp finely chopped shallots Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Extra virgin olive oil for frying

To serve: ½ red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced 8 cocktail gherkins, sliced 4 wholemeal burger buns, halved English mustard Tomato ketchup 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

For the mustard mayo: 40g mayonnaise 40g soured cream 1tsp Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Place the beef, lentils, shallots and some seasoning in a food processor and whizz to a sticky mixture, so some of the lentils remain whole. Shape the mixture into eight burgers using a nine-centimetre plain round cutter. If you want you can make them in advance, then cover and chill them.

2. Heat two teaspoons of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the burgers, in batches, for two minutes on each side until an even gold, replenishing the oil as necessary. They burn more easily than a pure meat burger, so keep an eye.

3. Combine the sliced onion and gherkins.

4. If serving the burgers with buns, toast the cut side of the buns under a grill, preheated to high. Place a burger on each bun half, smear some mustard over and then plenty of tomato ketchup, or the Mustard mayo (below). Next lay over a slice of tomato and season, then scatter over some sliced onion and gherkin.

5. For the mustard mayo: Blend all the ingredients in a small bowl, cover and chill until required. This will keep well for several days.