Richard Blais' 50/50 mushroom burger recipe

It's Halloween, but that doesn't mean that adults don't also get their own fall treat. The new cookbook "Plant Forward" was released Tuesday, featuring 100 bold, vegetable-centered recipes and curated by "Top Chef: All-Stars" winner Richard Blais and his wife, Jazmin.

Blais recently dropped by "GMA3" to share his fall mushroom burger with sweet potato baked fries.

The 50/50 Mushroom Burger

Instructions:

3 tbsps. ghee, divided

1 lb. mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped into rice-sized pieces

1 tsp. granulated garlic

Salt and pepper

1 lb. 90/10 grass-fed ground beef

4 slices vegan American cheese (optional)

4 gluten-free hamburger buns

1/4 cup caramelized onions

1/4 cup quick pickles

Condiments of choice

Directions:

In a sauté pan over low heat, melt 1 tbsp. of the ghee. Add the chopped mushrooms and granulated garlic, season with a little salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms are soft and have released all of their juices and the liquid has reduced. This could take 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the freshness and type of mushroom.

Remove the mushrooms to a bowl and, once no longer warm, place in the refrigerator until chilled; this step can be done earlier in the day or up to a day ahead.

With clean hands, thoroughly mix the chilled mushrooms with the ground beef, then form four patties slightly wider than the buns you are using. Season both sides of the patties with salt and pepper.

Using the same pan, melt 1 tbsp. of the ghee over high heat and sear the burgers until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium doneness for 1 1/2-inch-thick burgers.

In the last two minutes of cooking, top each patty with a slice of cheese, if using, then remove the patties from the pan to rest.

Using the same pan, toast the buns in the remaining tablespoon of ghee. You can use a paper towel to remove some of the fat from the pan before adding the ghee if you're looking to reduce caloric intake.

To assemble the burgers, arrange the onions and pickles on the bottom buns, then top with the burger patties. Garnish the top buns with whatever condiments you'd like and place on the burgers.

Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

2 tbsps. ghee

1 large yellow onion, sliced into half-moons

Salt

Room-temperature water

Directions:

Melt the ghee in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion slices and a healthy pinch of salt and reduce the heat to a medium-low. Stirring occasionally, slowly cook the onions for about 15 minutes until blonde-colored and softened. If the pan is dry at this point, add a splash of water, scrape any dried bits off the bottom, and continue to cook the onions for another 15 to 20 minutes, until they turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.