Herbed Apple Turkey Burgers
Every culture has variations on similar meal “formulas” as I like to call them. A+B+C = a delicious, balanced meal. In every culture, there’s a version of ground meat squished together, seasoned, and seared before being lovingly placed in a carby blanket. The All-American burger is one example of this. I love a good old fashioned beef burger with all the fixin's, but I love even more switching it up and playing with the proteins and flavors used. My favorite little tip for stretching expensive protein in our house is to use ground meat and mix it with shredded apple or another fruit/veg. Turkey pairs so well with the slight sweetness of apple and the herbs throughout give it such a springy taste! It’s enough to make you feel ok about the the blossoms not quite arriving yet ;)
Makes 8 servings
1 egg
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup fresh parmesan, finely grated
2 pounds ground turkey
1 apple, grated on a box grater
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
a handful of chives, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
for cooking: 1 tablespoon olive oil
Burger assembly:
buns (we buy these and keep them stocked in the fridge)
butter lettuce
lemon chive aioli
quick pickled shallots
Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, take a large bowl and whisk your egg in it. Add the breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, grated apple, garlic, and chives with the salt and pepper and stir it well. This is the flavor bomb of the whole kit and caboodle. Now, add the ground turkey and use a wooden spoon or a fork to gently fold it all together. I like to “cut” through the middle and then wrap around the edges. This is the perfect way to mix the breadcrumb mixture in without overworking the meat and making a tough burger. When it’s mostly incorporated, split the mixture into 8 roughly equal balls. Smooth and flatten them gently and set them aside. Heat the olive oil in the heated skillet and cook as many as you can without crowding the pan. Let them get nice and browned on one side before trying to move or flip them. If you try to flip them too soon, they will stick and fall apart. Give them time to develop a nice little crust before turning them and cooking on the other side. It should take about 6-8 minutes per side depending on how thick the burgers and how hot your skillet is. Repeat until all the patties are cooked. Assemble your burger and enjoy!
