Beetroot, Carrot and Kale Burgers

These burgers started as a way to use up the vegetables that tend to sit at the bottom of the crisper drawer. Beetroot, carrot and kale are all sturdy enough to hold their shape once they are grated or chopped, and together they make a patty with real earthy sweetness. Grating the beetroot and carrot on the small holes of a box grater helps them cook through quickly, and it makes the mixture bind better with the semolina.

The semolina is the piece that surprises most people. Toasting it in a dry pan first gives it a nutty smell and a little colour, which carries through into the finished patty. Cooking it in water until it thickens gives the mixture its structure, so the patties hold together in the pan rather than falling apart. Let the semolina cool all the way before you mix, or the vegetables will go soggy and the patties will be hard to shape.

A few things I have learned from making these more than once. Squeeze the grated beetroot gently in a clean tea towel if it looks wet, because the extra juice is what makes patties fall apart. Keep the heat moderate when you fry them. Beetroot sugars catch and darken quickly, so the outside can look finished while the middle is still soft. Five to ten minutes a side is a guide, so go by feel and look for a firm, crisp edge.

Leftovers keep well. Cool the cooked patties, store them in a sealed container in the fridge, and reheat them in a dry pan until hot all the way through. You can also freeze the uncooked patties between sheets of baking paper. Fry them straight from frozen over low heat, giving them a little longer on each side.

For serving, I like a big spoonful of plain natural yoghurt mixed with a squeeze of lemon, and a handful of rocket or thinly sliced red onion on the bun. If you want something on the side, the carrot and swede mash with horseradish is a good match, since the horseradish cuts through the sweetness of the root vegetables. A simple garlicky kale with browned shiitakes also works well if you want more greens on the plate.

If you are making a batch for the week, a creamy hummus cup with veggie sticks makes a handy lunch alongside a cold patty. Nothing fancy, just good, filling food that keeps you going.