Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Finely chop bell pepper. (Pieces should be small so they mix well into burger batter.) Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 10 minutes.

Peel potatoes and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Cook them whole for several minutes until very tender in microwave oven. Mash potatoes completely with a fork and measure 1 full cup, packed tightly and leveled off. Set aside extra potatoes.

Drain and rinse black beans well. Let the excess water drain off or pat beans with paper towels. Remove 1 cup of black beans and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining beans to a food processor. Add the pre-measured potatoes to the processor as well. Pulse until it all comes together in a sticky, thick mashed paste with the beans mixed well in the potatoes. (Be careful not to over process it because the potato starches will make mixture hard to mix with remaining ingredients.)

Add the bean/potato mixture to the reserved bowl of extra beans.

In a small separate bowl, combine the salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt and oregano (if using). Stir until well mixed. Pour salsa mixture over the bowl of beans and potatoes. Add the cooked bell pepper.

Using a small, rubber spatula, mix all of it together until everything is combined and the batter is a thick, sticky paste. Be careful not to mash the whole beans.

Lastly, add cornmeal and mix into the batter until combined well. Place the batter into the fridge for 30 minutes prior to baking. After chilling, form (using a ½ cup scoop) six large balls and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Press down each ball into a patty about ½ inch thick.

Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes. Remove the pan and use a thin, metal spatula to gently slide underneath the burgers and carefully flip them. After flipping, cook 10 more minutes on other side. Let cool 10 minutes before eating.

Assemble burgers with toppings, extra salsa, Mexican tahini sauce or buns.