Beef and Black Bean Patties with Avocado Salad

I make these when I want something hearty that doesn't need a bun to feel like a proper dinner. The black beans do a lot of the work here. Mashed lightly into the beef, they add softness and moisture, and they stretch the mince so each patty feels generous without being heavy. Black beans are a good source of fibre and they're one of the pantry staples I reach for most, partly because a can sitting in the cupboard turns a plain pack of mince into something worth looking forward to.

The first time I made these, I skipped drying the beans properly and the patties were a bit slack, hard to shape and slow to brown. Now I rinse the beans, tip them into a strainer, and then pat them dry with paper towel until the towel comes away almost clean. It takes a minute and it makes a real difference. Chilling the shaped patties before they hit the grill is the other step I won't skip. Ten minutes in the fridge lets the almond meal and egg settle, so the patties hold together when you turn them.

The salad underneath is simple, and it's the part I think about most. Ripe avocado, cold tomato and salty crumbled feta sit on crisp leaves, and the lime dressing pulls it all together. Because the patties are served warm on top of cool, bright salad, every mouthful has contrast, which is what makes a bunless meal feel complete. If you like heat, the optional chilli powder is worth keeping in; it lifts the smoked paprika without tipping the whole thing into spicy territory.

Leftovers keep well. Store the cooked patties in an airtight container in the fridge and eat them within a couple of days. I find they're even better cold, sliced over the salad the next day. Keep the avocado separate, or squeeze a little extra lime over it, so it doesn't brown.

If you want to round the plate out, a bowl of something grainy alongside works nicely. Lemon Herb Farro Salad with Artichokes is a good partner, since the nutty grain and the lemon echo the lime here. For a warm side, Herb Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta fits the same Mediterranean feel without much extra work.

Serve these on a big platter in the middle of the table and let everyone build their own plate. They're easy to scale up, and the leftovers are a good reason to make a double batch.