Tasty Home-Made Beet Burgers

1 pound beets, trimmed, peeled, and grated 
1/2 cup packed pitted dates or prunes
1/2 cup almonds
1 inch peeled ginger, cut into coins
1/2 cup bulgur
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup boiling red wine or water
Cayenne or hot red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
A little all-purpose flour, if needed, for binding
2 Tbs olive oil or butter

Combine the beets, dates, almonds, and ginger in a food processor and pulse several times until everything is well chopped but not quite a paste.Put the mixture in a large bowl with the bulgur and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Stir in the boiling wine, mustard, and cayenne if you’re using it and cover the bowl with a plate. Let steep for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Let the mixture rest for a few minutes if you can before shaping it into patties; if it seems too wet, stir in a little flour to help bind it. (You can make the burger mixture or even shape the burgers up to several hours in advance. Just cover tightly and refrigerate, then bring everything back to room temperature before cooking.) Shape the mixture into 4 to 6 patties.

Put the oil or butter in a skillet with a lid over low-medium heat. When the oil is hot or the butter is melted, carefully slip the burgers into the pan. Cook, undisturbed for 5 minutes or so, until nicely browned on the bottom; carefully flip the burger, cover, and cook the other side for 5 minutes. You can also bake these in the oven at 350 for 40-50 min, turning them over part way through.