Method Tofu Burger

• Place the tomato paste, maple syrup, molasses and soy sauce in a sauté pan, add the dry seasoning to the pan. Heat the mixture over low heat for 5 minutes, make sure to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, the goal of this step is to release the flavors of the dried spices and to start the cooking of the tomato paste, this will bring out the umami flavors. Set aside to cool.
• Remove the tofu from the package and gently dry some of the excess water. Using a box grater carefully start grading the tofu, you need to press firming against the box grater.
• Place the grated tofu in the pan with the seasoning mixture, add the garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, panko bread crumbs, and the liquid smoke. Start to gently mix, the goal is to retain the grated tofu texture and shape. Once mixed, cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
• Form Tofu Burger Patties. Place a scoop on parchment paper and gentle smash the patty down to form a thin patty that is just a little larger than your bun.
• Heat a pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Add Tbsp of olive oil to the pan, place the tofu burger patty over the oil, cook until the patty is very crisp and a deep golden brown. Place the vegan cheese on top of each patty and then stack the patties on top of each other. Place a metal bowl or lid over the patties, add 2 Tbsp of water under the bowl, and steam. Steam for 1 minute. This will perfectly melt the vegan cheese.

Method Special Sauce

• Place the cashews in a pot of water and bring to a boil cooking for 3 minutes, set aside to cool
• Add the cashews, silken tofu, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, ketchup, and smoked paprika to a high-speed blender puree until very smooth, slowly add the olive oil to the purée on high speed, this should only take 10 seconds to add the oil. Place the Puree into a mixing bowl.
• Mix the sweet relish into the special sauce by hand. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Method Roasted Onion

• Cut the onion into 1/4 inch discs. The key to making a perfect roasted onion is how thick you slice the onion disc and 1/4 inch is the perfect thickness. This allows the onion to char on the outside and starts to get soft and delectable, at the same time has a structure and a bit of firmness to it. It's a perfect balance.
• Season the onion with salt and pepper, on both sides, allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before cooking. This pulls out some of the moisture and allows the onion to absorb the seasoning.
• Place the onion and the olive oil in a hot pan cook for about 5 minutes on each side.

Build your burger(s) and enjoy!