PIMENTÓN BURGERS

120 g walnuts

Olive oil

1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 red chili, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón)

1 x 400 g tin white beans, rinsed, drained and patted dry

75 g sun-dried tomatoes, drained

and roughly chopped (keep the oil) 4 dried apricots, roughly chopped 75 g cooked rice (or another cooked grain)

30 g fresh breadcrumbs (or you could use fine porridge oats)

FOR THE SALSA:

2 roasted red peppers

200 g datterini or cherry tomatoes 50 g green olives, pitted

A splash of sherry vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

To serve:

4 burger buns, chargrilled Mayonnaise, or vegan mayonnaise

A little more sweet smoked paprika Manchego or vegan cheese, thinly sliced

1 handful cress

Step 1

Put the walnuts into a hot dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat for five to seven minutes, stirring often, until golden. Tip into a bowl to cool. Return the pan to the heat. Add a little oil, the onion and chili. Cook for 10 minutes, or until soft and sweet. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 2

Blitz the cooled walnuts with the cumin and paprika. Add half a teaspoon each of salt and black pepper to the blender and mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mash the beans in a bowl with a fork. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, apricots, rice, onion and chili mixture, walnut mixture and breadcrumbs and mix well to a mouldable dough. If it seems dry, add a little oil from the tomatoes.

Step 3

Line a tray with baking paper. Squeeze together a quarter of the mixture, put it on the tray and flatten slightly into a burger shape. Repeat until you have four burgers. Brush each with a little oil. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes or until you need to cook them. You can freeze them at this point too; they keep in the freezer for up to three months.

Step 4

Heat a frying pan until hot. Add a little oil and fry the burgers for about three to four minutes on each side, not moving them until a crust has formed. The burgers are quite fragile, so be gentle with them. Alternatively, you could bake them in the oven at 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7 for 10 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, make your salsa. Chop the peppers, tomatoes and olives together on a board, then add to a bowl with a good pinch of salt, the vinegar and oil. Taste and add more salt, vinegar and oil as needed. Step 6

To assemble the burgers, spread both sides of the bun with a little mayonnaise. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and add the salsa to the bottom half of the bun. Put the burger on top, then a couple of slices of Manchego, a big pinch of cress and the top half of the bun. Makes four