Guy Fieri: Winner Winner Veggie Dinner

Real Deal Veggie Burger

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 1 hr
Inactive Time: 1 hr
Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

Flaxseed Gel:

• 1 tablespoon whole flaxseeds
• 3 tablespoons hot water

Veggie Patty:

• 1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 corn on the cob, husk removed & cob cleaned
• ¾ cup carrot, grated fine (1 large carrot)
• ¾ cup zucchini, grated medium (1 large zucchini)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 small red onion, fine dice (¼ inch)
• 8 ounces white cremini mushrooms, cleaned & finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup scallions, thin bias cut
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup cooked red quinoa
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons Flaxseed Gel
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Assembly & Accoutrements:

• 4 brioche hamburger buns
• 3 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Butter, melted
• ½ cup Donkey Sauce
• 4 Real Deal Veggie Burger Patties
• 8 ounces SMC "Super Melty Cheese" (cashew-based)
• 1 each kosher dill pickle, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup thinly sliced sweet onion
• 1 beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Crispy Onion Straws

Directions

1. Boil flaxseeds in water for 10 mins. Remove from heat, strain liquid through a sieve and reserve. Discard seeds. Allow liquid to cool and it will form into a gel. (Three tablespoons of gel is equivalent to using 1 large egg)
   
2. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Strain the potatoes and place back into the same, empty pot. Use a potato masher (or ricer) to mash the potatoes. The residual heat from the pot will help dry the potatoes.
   
3. Pre-heat grill to high heat. Rub 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on the red bell pepper, poblano, and corn. Char the peppers on the grill until blackened then place them in a bowl and wrap with plastic. Grill the corn to until charred all over. Cool completely. Peel the charred skin from the peppers, remove the seeds and stems. Dice the peppers to ¼ inch dice. Cut the corn off the cob.
   
4. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sweat for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown and moisture evaporates. Add garlic last, so it doesn't burn, and cook until fragrant.
   
5. Add the corn, carrot, zucchini and peppers to the mushroom mix and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
   
6. Add the cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. Stir to incorporate and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices. Remove from heat, place in a bowl and cool completely.
   
7. Combine veggie mixture with mashed potato, cooked brown rice, cooked quinoa, scallions, flax gel, thyme, salt & pepper. Add the panko a little at a time while mixing to get the correct consistency. Mixture should hold together and be sticky but not wet and not dry and crumbly. Place in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 1 hour to set up and dry.
   
8. Portion into 8 equal size patties (about 4 inches in diameter). Pre-heat large cast iron pan (a non-stick pan will work, too) over medium-high heat. Sear the patties in the pan with a little bit of vegetable oil. Approx. 4 minutes on each side, until golden on both sides.

To Assemble:

1. Brush the cut sides of the brioche buns lightly with the Roasted Garlic Butter. Toast the bun halves on the griddle until golden and crisp, about 45 seconds per side. Set aside.
   
2. To assemble the burgers, smear Donkey Sauce on the cut side of each bun half. Cover each of the bottom bun halves with 3 pickle slices and 1 or 2 onion slices. Top each with a Real Deal Veggie Patty (or two!), 2 ounces SMC "Super Melty Cheese", 2 tomato slices, shredded lettuce (tossed in red wine vinegar) and some Crispy Onion Straws. Place the top bun halves on top of the onion straws.

Roasted Garlic Puree and Roasted Garlic Butter

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For Roasted Garlic Puree:

• 2 garlic heads
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 or 5 turns freshly ground black pepper

For Roasted Garlic Butter:

• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Puree (recipe above)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 or 4 turns freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For Roasted Garlic Puree:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. Cut enough off the top of the garlic heads to just expose the garlic cloves. Place them on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Wrap up the foil into a tight pouch. Place on a rimmed baking sheet if desired.
   
3. Roast until tender and medium brown in color, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool.
   
4. Squeeze the pulp from the skins and puree in a food processor.
   
5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For Roasted Garlic Butter:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until evenly incorporated.
   
2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before using.
   
3. Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Donkey Sauce

Makes: 1 ½ cups
Total Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup Roasted Garlic Puree
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 turns freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir until smooth.
   
2. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

SMC "Super Melty Cheese" (Cashew-Based)

Makes: 3 cups
Total Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashes
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pinch cayenne
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped roasted jalapenos

Directions

1. Place cashews in a pot and cover with water and soy milk. Bring to a simmer then shut off heat and set aside for 10 minutes, to allow cashews to soak and bloom.
   
2. Pour cashews and liquid into a Vitamix blender. Add lemon juice, yeast, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, turmeric and salt. Puree until smooth – adding more hot water as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.
   
3. Transfer to a pot over medium heat and whisk until sauce is warm and smooth.
   
4. Once thick like a cheese sauce, fold in roasted peppers and jalapenos.

Crispy Onion Straws

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Canola oil, for frying
• 1 large sweet onion, finely sliced
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a deep cast-iron skillet, heat 2 to 3 inches of canola oil to 350°F. Have a plate ready, topped with several layers of paper towels.
   
2. Separate the layers of the sliced onion and soak them in the buttermilk in a medium bowl for 10 to 12 minutes. In a separate large shallow pan, combine the flour, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the black pepper. Remove the onions from the buttermilk, shake off the excess, and dredge them in the flour mixture.
   
3. Working in small batches, fry the onions in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and transfer to the paper towels to drain. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. These can be made a few hours ahead of time; cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

Santo Bloody Maria

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

Picked Carrots & Green Beans:

• 12 baby carrots with tops, peeled
• 12 French green beens, stems snipped
• 1 jalapeno, cut in half
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1 cups water
• 2 teaspoons pickling spice blend
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Bloody Mary Mix:

• 48 ounces of fresh tomatoes, mixed variety of heirlooms, Roma, cherry
• ½ sweet onion, ½-inch dice
• 1 small carrot, peeled, ½-inch dice
• 1 celery stalk, ½-inch dice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce, Tapatio
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated horseradish
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoon agave
• 12 fluid ounces Santo Blanco tequila
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rim Salt & Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons Mexican chile powder
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• Zest of 1 lime
• 6 celery stalks for garnish, long ribs with leaves attached, trimmed
• 6 lime wheels for garnish, thin sliced
• 18 thin japaleno slices for garnish
• Ice

Directions

Pickled Vegetables:

1. Place a large resealable bag in a bowl with the top of the bag open. Place carrots, green beans and half jalapeno in the bag. Combine remaining pickling ingredients in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Once sugar and salt has dissolved, remove from heat and pour liquid into the bag. Allow to cool, then seal the bag (carefully removing all of the air inside, i.e. by submerging the full bag in a sink of cold water to force the air out as you seal the top of bag). Place in refrigerator until chilled.

Bloody Mary Mix:

2. Cut tomatoes in half and remove cores. Remove seeds from larger tomatoes, by scraping out with a small spoon and discard.
   
3. Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Spread tomatoes, onions, celery, carrot, and a few jalapeno slices from the other half of your jalapeno out on a roasting pan. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast in oven for 15 minutes until the vegetable are tender and juices have been released. Remove from oven and allow mixture to cool slightly.
   
4. Place the mixture and all the juices from the pan into a blender. Add minced raw garlic, celery salt, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, agave, fresh horseradish and lime juice. Puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer – using a rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Chill in the refrigerator. Transfer to a large pitcher and add tequila. Mix well.

To Serve:

6. Grate the zest off lime using a microplane. Combine with rim salt ingredients on a small plate. Rub a lime wedge across ¼ of the rim of each glass to moisten, then roll glass in rim salt to coat.
   
7. Fill pint glasses ¾ of the way with ice and pour Bloody Maria cocktail mixture over. Float 3 slices of jalapeno in the center of the cocktail. Garnish with celery stalk, lime wheel on rim, 2 pickled carrots and 2 pickled green beans.