The following recipes have been created in our kitchen, with a little trial and error. We think we have gotten a perfect combination, and I wanted to share these with you.
These are ‘bunless’ burgers, and are so tasty, you won’t miss the bun (or the extra 200 calories).
We eat turkey because Ben doesn’t eat red meat, but you could make these with beef. If you prefer beef, and like it medium or rare, omit the final step of cooking the patties.
Chipotle is a smoked chili, and readily available in the U.S. You can, however, substitute any chili you like – fresh, from a jar, powdered, flaked – whatever your taste is.
Cilantro = Coriander
TURKEY BURGERS
1 package of turkey mince (500g or 1lb)
3/4c polenta (corn meal)
1 egg + 1 egg white
Chipotle chili (powder or canned) to taste
Salt (smoked salt if you have it)
Fresh cliantro
4 green onions chopped
Sprinkle of Cummin
2-3 T tomato paste
1 clove garlic
Make a handful of mixture into a 1/2 inch patty.
Heat a frying pan to med-high, add 1T oil (Vegetable oil is best). Cook patties until brown on both sides.
Add 1/4c to 1/3c of chicken broth (liquid stock), turn heat down to medium and cover – cook another few minutes to ensure the patties are cooked through. The broth steams the meat through and keeps it tender.
Makes 4 large patties. Patties can be frozen in individual ziplock/freezer bags.
FRESH SALSA
De-seeded and peeled cucumber
Ripe tomatoes
Avocado
1/4 red onion
Fresh cilantro
Splashes of white balsamic + olive oil
Lots of lime juice
Salt and pepper
Chili flakes
Dice everything finely, mix together and refrigerate about 3 hours ahead of time. Season to your taste.
CARAMELIZED ONION
Red onion, sliced finely (1 per 2 people)
Olive oil
1 tsp butter
Splash of white balsamic
Cook on medium until onions are caramelized, stirring regularly.
Assemble burgers on salad greens. Top with a spicy BBQ sauce, onions and fresh salsa. Serve with Sweet potato fries.
SWEET POTATO FRIES
Scrub skins, cut into 1/4 inch rounds, lay on a plate and microwave until nearly cooked through (a few minutes – test with a fork).
Place on a foiled tray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with favorite spice combo (Chili-based spices/Cumin is a good accompaniment) and salt and pepper. Turn over and repeat.
Grill (under broiler) on HIGH until brown (about 4-5 minutes), and turn over to grill other side.
This is a really healthy and delicious meal.
Much of the prep can be done ahead of time, and the cooking only takes 10 minutes for the patties and fries. Therefore, this is a terrific meal to make when friends come over, because you won’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Enjoy!
Sandy Barker | Author 