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SUPPER: Turkey burger � cheval
The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.
SUPPER: Turkey burger � cheval
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| Photo l Michael Persico |
The unsung hero of a really satisfying burger is something far less dramatic than than a fiery, 800-degree grill or the finest ground sirloin in all the land. It's something that has been demonized since the early '80s, when scrupulous dieters began to avoid it at all costs, their bleak existence framed by boneless, skinless chicken breasts and steamed broccoli.
It's fat.
The even distribution of fat throughout a burger creates the velvety texture and chew of the best versions of the sandwich, and keeps the meat moist even as it is subjected to the blistering heat of the grill or cast-iron pan. Though beef burgers occupy the king's position at the top of the sandwich hierarchy, a cow burger, even not such a large one, is a huge, digestion-challenging meal. Eat a burger loaded with cheese, bacon, long hots and some kind of flavored mayonnaise and the only place you're headed is to the couch to groan off your lunch. Substitute turkey, salmon or chicken between the buns and the burger becomes something that won't kill you, but provide enough energy for you to slam through your day with a full, not crammed, stomach.
Turkey burgers are easy to make and deliver a satisfying meal, provided you remember the fat rule. Since turkey is by nature very lean — either 99 or 93 percent lean, in most cases — you need to add fat back to the ground meat to ensure a juicy turnout. Sauté diced red onion in a tablespoon of bacon fat. When the softened, fat-coated pieces of onion are mixed with the turkey meat, they will add moisture and flavor throughout the lean burger. Butter performs a similar function.
The fun of turkey burgers is the meat is like a blank slate, flavor-wise. You can add anything you like to it and it will accept the flavors gladly. Use the caramelized onions as a base, and develop from there. Fresh herbs, especially parsley, cilantro, chervil or thyme can go into the mix; hot sauce, soy sauce, tamari and mustard can all lend a spicy kick. Do avoid very sugary sauces, like barbecue, which will burn on the surface of the burger and could make the whole patty taste burnt.
Since we're so well-behaved, eating turkey burgers and all, why not throw a fried egg on top of the thing to make it a burger à cheval? You've earned it.
Recipe for Turkey Burger à Cheval with Sriracha Mayonnaise after the jump.
Turkey Burger à Cheval with Sriracha Mayonnaise
Makes 4 burgers
Go Get This:
24 ounces ground turkey meat
4 buns of your choice
4 romaine lettuce leaves
1 tablespoon bacon fat or butter
One medium onion, diced small
Half bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt
Pepper
Heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 eggs, fried and sunny-side up
Sriracha sauce, to taste
Mayonnaise, to taste
Now Do This:
In a small sauté pan, melt the bacon fat or butter over medium heat. When melted, add the diced onion. Cook down gently until lightly browned and soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, cooked onion, parsley, mustard, dashes of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of sriracha. Mix thoroughly with hands. Shape into four equal-sized balls, and flatten to make patties.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat a large cast-iron (or oven-safe) pan over medium-high heat. Add a splash of high-temp oil, like peanut or canola, just to coat the bottom with a thin layer. When oil is hot and shimmering, place burgers in pan.
Cook for at least five minutes to create a brown crust on the turkey burgers. Flip over and allow to cook on that side for three minutes, then place pan in oven. Cook in oven for at least six more minutes. Turkey burgers are done when there is no pink left inside.
While burgers are in oven, combine mayonnaise with sriracha to taste in a small bowl. Set aside.
Fry the four eggs, sunny-side up, just when you take the burgers out of the oven.
Spread sriracha mayo on both sides of bun, add romaine lettuce leaf, place turkey burger on top of lettuce and top with a fried egg. Add a salad and serve.
Looks pretty darn good.... and makes a meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! peace to all from Indiana, USA mTw
[...] in a hot bowl of Korean bibimbap, and offers instructions for getting fried eggs just right. We can’t get enough of the fried-egg topped classic, burger à cheval, even if it’s ...For many cooks, poaching eggs proves frustrating. Meal Ticket learned a fun, useful trick from Vetri [...]
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