From Duluth Minnesota - Fitger’s Brewhouse’s Harvest Moon Wild Rice Burger

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http://heavytable.com/fitgers-brewhouses-harvest-moon-wild-rice-burger/

This burger was REALLY good! And I love regular burgers.

Home recipe:

The Heavy Table Wild Rice Burger, inspired by the Harvest Moon Wild Rice Burger from Fitger’s Brewhouse
Yields 8 quarter-pound burgers

Similar to the salmon patties my mom cooked on Fridays when I was growing up, this recipe calls for crushed saltine crackers and whisked eggs as a binder. The shredded cheddar cheese helps, too. For best results, cook your wild rice the day before. We think these would be fantastic on the grill — if yours has a cast-iron griddle — and perfect for serving at your Independence Day cook-out.


Wild rice
1 c (8 oz) Minnesota hand-harvested, wood-parched wild rice, uncooked
3 c low-sodium vegetable stock, homemade preferred (making vegetable stock is another fantastic way to use up some of your CSA’s or garden’s bounty)


The night before, prepare the wild rice according to the instructions on the box, substituting the vegetable stock for the water. Cool in the refrigerator overnight.


Patties
3 extra large eggs, whisked
2 rounded tsp Jax Seasoning or other all-purpose seasoning (Jax’s, available at Lunds, includes salt, onion, garlic, paprika, sugar, black pepper, curry powder, and turmeric)
1 tbsp pure olive oil, Canola oil, or other neutral oil
1 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 c (3 oz) crushed saltine soda crackers (we used Late July Organic Classic Saltine Crackers, available at Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op)

8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
oil to brush on the griddle

Burgers

8 multi-grain hamburger buns, split

garlic mayonnaise (we used Delouis Fils, available at Coastal Seafoods, but it’s easy to make your own)
alfalfa sprouts
roma tomatoes, sliced
red onions, sliced

The night before, prepare the wild rice according to the instructions on the box, substituting the vegetable stock for the water. Cool in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready for burgers, prepare the buns and burger toppings. Split the buns, spread a layer of garlic mayonnaise on the top half of the bun, then place a pinch or two of sprouts and two slices of tomato on top of the garlic mayonnaise. Lay out the bottoms of the buns on a serving tray.

Make the patties. In a large bowl, whisk together the 3 eggs, Jax Seasoning, and olive oil. With a rubber spatula, mix in the cheddar cheese until combined. Mix in the cooked and cooled wild rice, then the crushed crackers.

Scoop out a ½ cup of the wild rice mixture, form it into a patty, and place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. The patties are very crumbly and delicate at this stage. Repeat for remaining 7 patties.

Brush a cast-iron griddle with oil, then heat to medium.
Using a pancake turner, carefully place each patty on the griddle and cook for 3 minutes. Turn each patty carefully with the pancake turner. Cover each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese, then cover with a lid (or close the cover of the grill) to melt the cheese. Cook for another 3 minutes. Remove patties from heat and slide each on the bottom half of the whole grain bun.

Serve with a cold beverage. Situate yourself in front of the electric fan for a Duluth-style breeze.