Turkey Chorizo Burger

Makes:  4 servings

Ingredients

500g (l lb) ground turkey
1 green pepper
4 whole wheat burger buns
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
cooking spray or 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1.  Combine ground turkey, garlic and spices (paprika, cumin, chili powder, coriander, oregano, and salt)  in a large bowl.  Mix well using clean hands.
2.  Add red wine vinegar and mix further with hands.
3.  Create 4 patties, roughly 140g each
4.  Place patties in refrigerator. Letting the flavors marinate for at least 2 hrs.
5.  Meanwhile, roast green pepper by placing the pepper on a gas burner at high heat.  Making sure to turn regularly until most of the skin is blackened.
6. Once all the skin is blackened, place the pepper in a bowl and cover in saran wrap for 20 minutes. This will allow the steam from the heat to continue cooking the pepper and help remove the blackened skin.
7.  After 20 minutes, place the pepper under cold running water and rinse away the blackened skin. De-seed the pepper and rinse further, removing all seeds.  Cut into 4 large slices and set aside.
8.  When ready to cook, remove turkey patties from refrigerator and heat a large pan or grill pan.
9.  Spray the pan with cooking spray (or use 1 tbsp olive oil) and place patties on pan.  Cook patties at least 5-6 minutes on each side.
10.  To serve, place a burger on each bun and top with green pepper.

Turkey and Courgette Burgers

This turkey burger recipe is outstanding. It is from the newest addition to my cookbook collection, Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.  The middle eastern flavours are what makes it.  Plus these mini burgers are moist and not dry like others I have tried.

I served these burgers on a bed of couscous alongside a fattoush salad also from the Jerusalem cookbook.   These burgers would also make a fabulous starter for a dinner party or great addition for a summer meal on the grill.  Enjoy!

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Makes 4-6 servings (about 16-18 burgers)

Ingredients

For turkey burger

1 pound minced turkey
1 large courgette, coarsely grated
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1 medium egg
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
cooking spray

For sour cream & sumac sauce

100g light sour cream
150g low fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sumac
salt and pepper to taste

1.  For the sauce, mix sour cream with the Greek yogurt.  Add the lemon zest, juice, garlic, oil and sumac.  Mix well.  Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2.  Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F)
3.  In a large bowl, mix all of the turkey meatball ingredients (turkey to cayenne pepper).   Form small burger patties (about 15 patties).
4. Add cooking spray to a frying pan. Put on medium high heat.  Sear patties on both sides until golden brown, roughly 4 minutes.
5.  Transfer the burger patties onto a lined baking tray.  Leave to cook further in oven for 10 minutes.
6.  When ready to serve, place burgers on a serving platter with sauce on side or on top.