Why Make More Work for Myself in the Kitchen?

Turkeyburgers with BBQ Sauce

I decided the other morning that I would serve turkeyburgers for Sunday dinner.  It’s one of the few meals that everyone but the family vegetarian likes. 

I prefer making small burgers because ground turkey is easier to cook thoroughly that way.  No rare turkeyburgers at my table
.

The problem is that it’s hard to find small buns that fit these mini-burgers.  I decided I would make my own buns.  But then 3 pm rolled around and I hadn’t started making them.  Time was tight.  I dithered and began thinking, “Maybe I won’t make them.  What could I substitute?”

I had some French bread in the freezer.  I got it out to defrost and decided we’d have open-faced turkeyburgers.  When serving time came, I heated the bread, sliced it into thin rounds and served the slices topped with the burgers.  Everybody was happy!

Quick Turkeyburgers – serves 3-4

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Dash black pepper

2 teaspoons canola or peanut oil

1/3 of a French bread, heated and then sliced thinly into 12 slices

Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce or other condiments

Put the ground turkey into a medium bowl and add the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper and black pepper.  Stir well to combine.

Use 2 frying pans, if possible, so all the turkeyburgers will be ready at once.  Put 1 teaspoon oil into each pan and spread around.  Scoop up 1 tablespoon turkey mixture with a spoon, and using a fork to help, place the mixture into one pan.  Flatten into a thin patty with the fork.  Repeat the process until all the mixture has been used up and the frying pans are full of burgers.  Aim for 12 small burgers of equal size.

Cook over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.  Before removing from the pan, cut into a burger to make sure there is no pink showing.  If there is, cook for another minute.

While the burgers are cooking, lay the bread slices on a serving plate.  Transfer a cooked burger to each slice and serve immediately with your choice of condiments.

          For easy recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"