Quinoa (keen-wah), though not a cereal grain because it is not a grass plant, is nonetheless a life-sustaining grain native to the Andes Mountains in what is now Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. Although it was a staple food of the Inca, who peopled those high places, somewhere along the way it got shuffled aside for wheat and rice, grain imports from the Old World, and for corn, the New World’s other great grain. There it remained, in the shadows of time, until recently, when health aficionados rediscovered its food value and deliciousness. Quinoa’s nutrition is unique among the grains of the world. Within each tiny, almost miniscule bit of it, there is complete protein. When cooked, the grains puff up four times their size into a pillowy mass that resembles the cells in a beehive, with each compartment distinct. That means quinoa serves up not only plenty of nutrition but also enough bulk to make a filling meal. Together with tofu, their nutrition pedigree becomes double blue ribbon.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　

Burgers

1/2 cup quinoa

　　1 cup water

　　1 cup finely shredded Swiss chard

　　3 large shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps finely chopped (2/3 cup)

　　1 tablespoon minced shallot

　　1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

　　1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

　　1 teaspoon grated or minced lemon zest

　　7 ounces firm tofu, mashed with a fork

　　1 cup fresh bread crumbs (page 4)

　　2 large eggs, lightly beaten

　　1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Sauce

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded

　　2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

　　3 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

To make the burgers, first rinse and drain the quinoa and place it in a medium saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Set aside, covered, to cool.

　　

Step 2

To prepare the chard, bring a small saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add the chard and blanch for 1 minute. Drain well and set aside to cool.

　　

Step 3

Place the cooled quinoa, chard, mushrooms, shallot, chives, ginger, lemon zest, tofu, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl, and knead with your hands until the mixture firmly coheres. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a burger 3/4 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. Place the patties on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in the refrigerator to chill and firm for 15 to 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Use right away, or set aside at room temperature for up to several hours.

　　

Step 5

To cook the burgers, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add as many burgers as will fit without crowding and fry, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 15 minutes altogether. If necessary, continue with another round.

　　

Step 6

To serve, top each burger with a dollop of the sauce. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

　　Sausage