Red Quinoa & Farro Vegetarian Sliders

YIELD: 22 3 oz. burgers

4 ½ cups vegetable stock, divided
8 oz. red quinoa
8 oz. farro
14 oz. firm tofu
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
3 Tbsps. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
Panko bread crumbs, as needed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Olive oil, as needed for searing
22 tomato slices
Julienned red onion, as needed
22 mini burger buns

1. In a pot, bring 2 cups vegetable stock to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse the red quinoa. Add to boiling stock and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

2. In a separate pot, bring 2 cups stock to a boil and cook farro, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Puree 1 cup cooked farro just enough to leave a little consistency.

4. Puree the tofu (will yield 2 cups when whipped); add to the pureed farro.

5. In a bowl, combine the pureed farro/tofu, the rest of the cooked farro, cooked red quinoa, the remaining vegetable stock, garlic, cilantro, chili powder and cumin. Mix well. (If mixture is too wet, add just enough Panko bread crumbs to enhance binding.) Season with salt and pepper.

6. Portion out burger mix into 3 oz. patties.

7. Lightly coat each patty with Panko.

8. Pan-sear each patty in olive oil for 3 minutes per side.

9. To serve: On each bottom half of mini burger buns, English muffins or split dinner rolls, layer a slice of tomato and some julienne of red onion. Top with a seared quinoa/farro patty. Brush each top bun half with condiment of choice — from ketchup to red-pepper aioli to cilantro pesto — and crown the sliders.

Photo and recipe: Indian Harvest, Inc.