Veggie burgers are a large part of my diet. Whether homemade or of the Morningstar/Amy's/Dr.Praeger's variety, I eat 'em plain, pile on sauteed veggies, or cut them up and throw them in a salad. They never get old.
As one would expect, I also tend to order them when I'm out to dinner (often, they're one of only a few vegetarian options available). Sometimes they're amazing - in fact, I find that, not surprisingly, tiny, out-of-the-way cafes and family-run kitchens have the best, crispiest, most satisfying veggie burgers. This includes a crispy outer shell, just the right amount of spices, a good protein-to-vegetable ratio, an egg or two to bind the mix together, and a non-mushy middle.
Lately, though, I've found an unsettling trend among larger restaurant veggie burgers: The outer layer is crisped to perfection, but the middles are completely underdone! (If you're furrowing your brow, think of it as ordering a steak weIl done and it showing up rare).
Now, I know that thinking of vegetables and lentils as being "underdone" may be amusing to you carnivores out there, but trust me: it's entirely possible. And sadly, pretty easy to avoid. Sometimes it takes one fewer egg or a little less water, and sometimes it takes a smaller patty, which allows the burger to fully cook through.
But whatever the issue, restaurant veggie burgers just aren't cutting it. I offer my plea to chefs: please cook your burgers fully! Vegetarians like a "well-done" burger as much as our carnivorous pals.
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