Dinner Plans

 

 

 

Happy Monday everyone!  I have been on the run since early morning but have gotten home in time to get this on here today.  Tomorrow is my painting day (classes followed by lunch and then more painting for the rest of the day) so I won't get back on here for a day or two.

 

I really want to share this recipe that I found on a blog called Blue Kitchen.   I was looking for something different and it seems I cycle through the basic meat choices - beef, pork, chicken (pasta doesn't join the cycle until cooler weather comes around) - and then get bored. 

 

 

I was a bit skeptical when I first read the recipe but one bite changed all that.

Here is the recipe:

 

 

 

Asian Turkey Burgers with Sriracha Mayonnaise
Makes 4 burgers

For burgers:
1 pound ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see Kitchen Notes)
2 teaspoons soy sauce (reduced sodium preferred)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less—see Kitchen Notes)
1/2 cup bread crumbs  (see Kitchen Notes)
freshly ground black pepper
canola oil

4 hamburger buns (I used whole wheat)

For Sriracha Mayonnaise:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sriracha Hot Sauce (see Kitchen Notes)

Make the burgers. Combine ground turkey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, garlic cayenne pepper, bread crumbs and a generous grind of black pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand. Form into 4 patties. Heat a grilling pan over a medium-high flame (you can use a large skillet, but grilling pan is preferred—you can also grill the burgers). Brush the grilling pan lightly with canola oil and toast the cut side of the buns in batches; set aside.

Brush the pan more generously with oil and cook the burgers until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Use a quick read thermometer to make sure the burgers reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.

Meanwhile, make the Sriracha mayonnaise. Crazy easy. Put the mayonnaise and the Sriracha Hot Sauce in a small bowl and mix with a spoon. Done.

Assemble the burgers. Also easy. Bun, burger and a smear of Sriracha mayonnaise. You can add some lettuce or tomato slices, but I would discourage it. These are quite tasty on their own.

 

Kitchen Notes

Hoisin sauce. This Chinese sauce and glaze is used extensively in Asian cooking. You can find it in Asian markets as well as many supermarkets in what is often charmingly (if less than politically correctly) called the “ethnic aisle.”

Cayenne pepper. We like heat in our food; the 1/2 teaspoon I used for these burgers gave them a nice, but not overpowering, kick. Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper based on your own heat tolerance.

Bread crumbs. You can use Panko bread crumbs for this, if you have some on hand. If not, remove the crust from one or two slices of white bread, tear the bread into pieces and pulse it in a food processor or blender until you have crumbs.

Can’t find Sriracha? Make your own. Sriracha Hot Sauce is fairly widely available, both in Asian markets and many supermarkets. But if you can’t find it, Serious Eats offers recipes for both fermented and unfermented versions. I can’t vouch for them, having not made them, and they don’t keep as long as the commercial stuff, but desperate times, etcetera.

 

 

I found that these had a much better flavor than I was anticipating. I took a chunk of ginger from the freezer and thawed it for this recipe.  The last time I used thawed ginger root the flavor had mellowed so this time I used half again as much (3 tsp) and it was just fine.  I also used panko and believe these would have a much denser texture if I had used ordinary bread crumbs.  Watch out for the Sriracha Mayo - it's hot!  Spread on the bun, it's not too bad.  Stick your finger in for a taste and be prepared.  Also the 1/2 tsp. of cayenne was just right too.  Like I said, I was skeptical but these burgers were good!! They were also a nice change in the routine dinner options. Hope you like them too. Thank the folks at Blue Kitchen if you like them.  I am sure they would appreciate hearing from you!

 

  I hope this has been the beginning of a great week for you!!

~