As my friends & family know, there is always a story. And this recipe is no exception.
For decades now, I have preferred
turkey burgers to beef. At first it was
a health related decision – I cut down on beef because of my cholesterol &
high blood pressure.
Over time, I simply came to like
them better. I never tried to make them
at home but always ordered turkey or garden burgers when it was an alternative
on the menu.
And then one afternoon, back in
the days when the Oprah show was still on the air, she featured a chef who had
created the best turkey burger she had ever tasted.
Here is the part of the story
that is difficult for my liberal self to admit:
The original recipe was created
by the then chef at Mar-a-Largo.
In my defense, I was not crossing
party lines – back then Trump was a Democrat.
Of course, I have rewritten the
original recipe. It is no doubt the
writer in me – taking threads from other texts & weaving the threads into
something my own.
Sometimes I add oregano or
marjoram into the turkey meat. Sometimes
I add a bit more chutney or adobo sauce.
Sometimes I throw diced garlic in with the scallions & apples.
It is a recipe designed to make your own.
Here on Dorrance Lane, we add
sliced red onion, white cheddar cheese, a tomato slice, fresh spinach. When available, we use Oroweat Onion
rolls. Our alternative is whole wheat hamburger
buns.
Several years ago, during a visit
to my friend Michael’s beach house near San Luis Pass, we made the turkey
burgers for a party.
And added grilled
pineapple slices & jalapeños to the tray of burger building items.
I first had grilled pineapple
& jalapeños on a turkey burger at a restaurant located across from the sea
wall in Galveston.
At the time, I was working on a offshore
rig refurbishment project & the rig was berthed in the Gulf Copper Shipyards. Two of my favorite members of the
refurbishment team, Peggy & Phil Linton, convinced me to add the grilled
pineapple & jalapeños to my turkey burger.
My culinary concept of turkey burgers
was forever changed.
Since then, I have discovered that
rajas – grilled strips of poblano peppers is far superior to the jalapeños.
So, my dear friend Nita, I hope
you & Brian will try this recipe & make it your own.
Orgasmic Turkey
Burgers
Ingredients
- Chopped green onions
- 1
granny smith apple, diced
- Olive oil
- · 1
pound ground turkey breast This makes six patties, but we make patties thinner that most folks.
- Salt
& Pepper
- Dollop adobe sauce or to taste (For
extra spicy soak an Ancho Chile & puree)
- 1/2 lemon, juice and grated zest
- 1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney or Hot Mango
Chutney, pureed
How to
make it
- Sauté the scallions & apples
in olive oil until soft.
- Place the ground turkey in a large
mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Use bread
crumbs to firm up the patties if necessary. Shape into burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Overnight really works well.
- Season the turkey burgers with
salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each
side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.
We are
sans an outdoor grill – so I use a greased iron grill under the broiler.
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