The Big Zac
Serves 4
An iconic flavour combination, which I have veganised and bears absolutely no resemblance to a burger with a similar name. It’s all handily wrapped up in a bun so you can eat it on the go while avoiding a cease and desist from a multinational fast-food corporation.
Ingredients:
20 g dried shiitake mushrooms
400 g tin black beans, rinsed and drained, reserving 60 ml (¼ cup) aquafaba (see note)
90 g (¾ cup) small chunk TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
135 g gluten flour, plus 2 tablespoons extra if needed
1 tablespoon beef-style stock powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
120 ml olive oil
8 slices dairy-free American-style cheese
8 sesame-covered burger buns
2 large handfuls shredded iceberg lettuce
½ white onion, finely chopped
2 sweet and spicy dill pickles (gherkins), sliced into rounds
Big Zac secret sauce
135 g (½ cup) store-bought vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons gherkin relish
2 teaspoons Dijon or American mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
up to ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
To make the Big Zac secret sauce, combine the ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a food processor and blitz to a powder. Add the black beans and process until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the TVP, reserved aquafaba, ketchup, barbecue sauce and liquid smoke. Mix in the black bean mixture and set aside. In another large bowl, combine the gluten flour, stock powder, onion powder and pepper. Stir the prepared TVP mixture into the dry ingredients until the mixture comes together.
Knead until everything is fully combined, adding the extra gluten flour if needed to bring it together into a ball. Divide into quarters and press each quarter into two patties.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the patties on top. Sprinkle over 125 ml (½ cup) water. Cover the patties with another sheet of baking paper and bake for 1 hour, flipping at the halfway mark and sprinkling over another ½ cup water. Check every so often to ensure that the patties aren’t browning up too much – they should be mostly dry by the time the hour is up.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add four of the patties and press with a spatula to flatten them slightly. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook the other sides for 5 minutes. Flip again and place two cheese slices on top of each patty. Continue to cook until the cheese starts to melt, then remove from the pan.
Heat the remaining oil and cook the remaining patties.
While the patties are cooking, use a bread knife to halve the buns. Four of the top halves won’t be required, so set these away for later use. Lightly toast the buns.
Spread a generous amount of Big Zac secret sauce over the bottom half of four burger buns. Scatter lettuce over the sauce and top with a cheesy burger patty, cheese side down. Add a little onion and place the remaining bottom bun halves on top.
Continue to build the burgers with another round of sauce and lettuce and then top with the pickle and remaining patties. Scatter over the remaining onion and finish with the bun tops.
Recipes extracted from Vegan Junk Food by Zacchary Bird, published by Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99.
Photography © Pete Dillon, Food Stylist © Bridget Wald
