Wehani Rice

For upping the health ante of any meal, try incorporating wehani rice. Developed by industrious Lundberg Family Farms in northern California, wehani rice is a russet-colored, slightly chewy whole-grain rice with a wonderful nutty taste. When I was cooking up a pot this past weekend for the recipe below, my girlfriend came into the house and asked if I was cooking popcorn. The buttery popcorn aroma alone is enough to give this brown rice alternative a try. Like other whole-grain varieties, long-grain wehani rice has a wealth of fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants. Several studies suggest that those who shun refined carbs for more whole-grains are less likely to suffer heart disease and expanding waistlines. You can find wehani rice at most health food stores and some larger supermarkets.

With grilling season up and running, FoodieFights, a kind of blogger Iron Chef competition, asked this weeks competitors (which includes yours truly) to come up with a burger recipe. I decided to go vegetarian and rustle up patties with black beans and my new favorite rice, wehani. Though these burgers look like a high-flying kitchen feat, they really aren’t. For the pesto, a farmer at our local farmers’ market had some wild leeks and I could not resist trying them for the first time. Also called ramps, wild leeks have a flavor somewhere between garlic and onions. If you can’t find them, simply use a couple cloves of garlic and basil or cilantro in replace of the wild leeks. Also, if you don't want to use dried beans you can simplify things with a 19-oz can of black beans.

Check out the battle and vote for the big, bad black bean burger.
 
Black Bean Wehani Rice Burgers with Wild Leek Pesto and Sautéed Mushrooms

Pesto:

1 bunch wild leeks (ramps), white bulb and green leafy parts, chopped

1/3 cup walnuts

1/3 cup fresh mint

½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Juice of ½ lemon

Salt to taste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Burgers:

1 cup dried black beans

2/3 cup wehani rice

1 small onion, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Buns of choice

1 bunch arugula

Mushrooms:

1 tablespoon butter

½ pound slice cremini mushrooms

¼ cup red wine

Place beans in a bowl, cover with water and soak for several hours.

Place wild leeks and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely minced. Add mint, cheese, salt and lemon juice and process until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Through the feed tube add olive oil while processing, until fully combined and smooth; set aside.

Drain the beans and rinse. In a medium saucepan, add the beans and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 50-60 minutes or until beans are very tender. Meanwhile, combine rice and 1.5 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer until water has absorbed, about 45 minutes. Drain cooked beans and rinse. In a bowl of a food processor, combine beans, onion, egg, bread crumbs, cumin, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Process until well combined and a thick paste forms. With a fork, stir in cooked rice and cilantro. Form into six equal sized patties and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before cooking to firm them up.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in red wine and cook for another 5 minutes or until most of wine has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Preheat grill to medium, coat burgers with vegetable oil to prevent sticking (I actually use a cast-iron griddle) and grill for 3-5 minutes per side or until well browned. Toast buns on grill if desired. To serve, spread pesto on bottom half of bun, top with a black bean burger, mushrooms, arugula and other half of bun.

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