Step 1

Cook the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 350 ºF. Prick the eggplant all over with a knife so that steam can vent. Roast the eggplant for ~1 hour, rotating about every 20 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and no resistance is met when pricked with a knife. Set aside to cool, cutting in half will speed the process.

Step 2

While the eggplant is roasting, cook the barley. Combine the barley and 1/2 tsp of salt in a pot and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the barley is chewy but cooked through. When done, drain and set aside.

Step 3

Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and shallots, and cook until softened and golden, ~3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt and lower heat to medium-low. Cook until golden and caramelized, ~6-9 minutes. Add the thyme and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Then deglaze the plan by adding the red wine vinegar to loosen the caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Immediately transfer to a food processor.

Step 4

Add the chickpeas (reserving ~1/2 cup of them), 1/2 cup of the roasted eggplant (use the rest for another purpose), the cooked barley, chopped sun dried tomato, garlic, and 1 tsp of salt to the food processor and pulse to combine. When the mixture is mashed and clumping together, taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Then add the remaining 1/2 cup of chickpeas and the vital wheat gluten and pulse to combine. Due to the gluten, the mixture will probably form one large clump.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 375 ºF to precook the burgers.

Step 6

To assemble the burgers, take 1/3 cup of mixture and form a bowl with it in your hands, add a teaspoon of cheese into the center of the bowl and gently fold the burger mixture to cover. Pat into a 3 - 3 1/2" round (use a ring mold or cookie cutter for a clean edge). Don't stress if cheese pokes through the sides.

Step 7

Place assembled burgers onto a parchment lined, oiled baking sheet and bake at 375 ºF for 10-12 minutes on each side. At this point you can eat them, but they're even better the next day, grilling or frying on a skillet to warm and brown!

Step 8

Combine tomatoes, shallots, and garlic into a small bowl. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp of salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and gently stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if desired. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before using.

Step 9

Serve the burgers with the marinated tomatoes and your choice of burger toppings, such as: avocado, mayo, vegan cheese, lettuce, or caramelized onion. Enjoy!