Raf's Spicy Sofrito Turkey Burger

     I have to tell you, I'm generally not a fan of turkey burgers. When it comes to burgers, I guess you can say I'm a purist, I want beef! However, if I were to paint myself to be any sort of burger connoisseur, I felt that I should at least be able to come up something outside of the box. I can tell you honestly, this was my first attempt to create a turkey burger recipe. What I came up with not only far exceeded my expectations, but it made me a turkey burger believer!



Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients:
1lb Ground Turkey Breast
1 Egg
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
Salt/Pepper
Ciabatta Bun

Spicy Sofrito:
2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley
3 lg Garlic Cloves
2 Serrano Chilies (seeded)
1 tsp Olive Oil

Toppings:
Watercress
Chipolte Mayo- 4oz mayo 1canned chipolte chili
Pickled Red Onions- red onion slices, lemon wedge, olive oil, cilantro, salt pepper

Procedure:
     The first step of this burger is actually to make the pickled onions. Begin by thinly slicing the onion into rings. Place them into a bowl with some chopped cilantro, salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Placer this in the fridge anywhere from 3 hrs to overnight. This will literally transform the taste of the onion and they will take the burger to the next level.

pickled onions

     When putting together this burger my first challenge was figuring out how to keep these burgers from turning into rubber tires when fully cooked. Turkey is very lean, so I wanted to add a moisture component. In Spanish cooking we commonly use a condiment called sofrito, which is basically a puree of peppers, garlic, and cilantro. I took this basic premise and made a spicy sofrito to not only add depth to the flavor, but to help keep the burger moist as well. Take the ingredients for the sofrito and pulse them in a food processor until you get a puree. Do the same with the ingredients for the chipolte mayo , and set aside.

spicy sofrito

     Next fold this puree into the ground turkey along with the bread crumbs and egg, and form patties. Season these with salt and pepper. The burgers need to be cooked all the way through so on medium for high for about 8 minutes on each side. Flip every 4-minutes so not to burn. Serve on A toasted ciabatta with some watercress, a little of the pickled onions, and some of the chipolte mayo. Serve these with a salad or simply with fries and a pickle as I did. Enjoy!