Turkeyburger

The burger you see here is not a failed hamburger. It is not to a real burger what crystal light is to orange juice. It is its own thing. The virtue of being less bad for you than a beefy burger should not be held against it.

Because it is less fatty than beef, ground turkey needs help to stay moist when you cook it. When I make meatloaf out of turkey I add sauteed apples and onions. When I make turkey burgers, I add olive oil, lime juice, minced scallions, and cilantro. Sometimes I add cumin, which gives them a more pronounced southwestern accent, and if I'm feeling industrious I zest the lime before squeezing it and add some of that too, which makes these into turkey-lime burgers. You might think of adding breadcrumbs or matzo meal and egg but that gives them more of a meatballs/meatloaf texture. Not my preference.

A few warnings: do not buy ground turkey breast. It has little flavor and no moisture. Pay more attention to garnishing than you would with a beef patty. Beef has more flavor than turkey and it can carry the day practically all by itself (though I was tempted to order the burger on the menu in one place we went to in Vancouver, Feenie's, with optional extras of bacon, foie gras, and beef short ribs). And use a nonstick pan. These can probably be made in a very hot, well oiled regular pan, but it's much easier to avoid having your burgers crumble to pieces using nonstick.

Turkey burgers with chipotle mayo and sauteed onions

For the burgers:
1 lb. ground turkey
2 scallions, minced
a big handful of cilantro, minced
juice of half a lime + zest (optional)
a tbs, more or less, olive oil
salt, black and cayenne pepper
oil for cooking
whole wheat buns

For the chiptole mayo:
half a chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
a few spoonfuls of mayo

For the onions:
one large yellow onion or two smallish ones, sliced
oil for cooking
salt

To make the mayo, combine and tinker with amounts until it's as hot as you like. It should kick like Jackie Chan.

To cook the onions, get the pan very hot, add a bit of oil and wait for it to get hot too, and then cook the onions, sprinkled with salt, over medium high heat. Stir frequently until they are as soft and dark as you like and put them in a bowl.

To make the burgers, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Form into three patties.

Heat some oil in a big nonstick pan until very hot and cook the burgers about five minutes on each side over medium-high heat. Internal temp should be at least 160 (but it's hard to overcook these, in my experience, with their added fat and moisture). It's important to keep the pan hot because when moisture runs off the burgers you want it to evaporate right away, not bubble around the corners and spoil the nice crust you're forming against the pan. Meanwhile, toast your buns.

Serve with chipotle mayo and onions. You might also try some Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce.