Day 6 – Countdown to Christmas Ginger Asian Turkey Burgers with Sweetened Chili Lime Sauce 2012

So last night while I was up to here (showing you the proverbial ‘here’) in cookie dough, pastry and fillings the LAST thing I wanted to do was make some elaborate dinner.  I wanted simple, easy but scrumptious.  I had ground turkey in the fridge that I had slated for dinner, sesame seeded buns ready to go and avocados ready to be sliced.  But as I went to grab for the avocado I did the ‘Meh…‘ face. Don’t get me wrong, I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE my turkey burgers but I wanted something different.As I turned around to think and pretty much stare blindly at my counters I saw my ginger root sitting there (I just finished making triple ginger biscotti) and knew I wanted to incorporate this into it.  That’s when I pretty much ransacked my cupboards, grabbed some Asian type seasonings and went to town.

Now I’m not going to lie to you folks, I literally went blindly into making this just ‘assuming’ the flavors would work together.  I mean they sounded good in my head.  And if it didn’t turn out I had astand-by dinner ready (leftover chicken, rice, peas… typical stuff). I threw caution to the wind, added some of this, some of that and as I mixed it up I needed to add a binder.  Now I am NOT a fan of putting breadcrumbs or fillers into burgers.  If you’re gonna do that, it’s NOT A BURGER people!  You just made MEATLOAF.  Accept it!

Meat with bread in it – meatloaf.  Meat without bread in it – burger.  Live it! Learn it! Love it!  Kapeesh?! 🙂

Now I thought about putting some cooked rice in it but again, rice in meat = stuffed pepper/cabbage type stuff.  Um no.. I wanted a burger.  Now you should sit down after you read what I did end up putting it as a binder.  Remember… I threw caution to the wind here and let it all hang out.

You sitting down for this?

No really; you’re not going to believe me.

Okay fine, I’ll tell ya but you’re going to sit there with that “Is she on crack? She put what in it???  Seriously???” face.

You know those Asian crunchy chow mein noodles?  Or as my niece used to call them “Fried Chinese Worms”..

THOSE!  Yes, I put THOSE in the burgers.  It was exactly what they needed!

Told you you weren’t going to believe me.  But trust me guys, this works and my God does it work!

As I was making them my mouth was watering.  The smells coming from the pan were amazing!  Sweet and heat is the only way I can describe it. Now as they were cooking I had to think fast of what I wanted to top them with.  Cheese doesn’t just work with these and ketchup was just an insult.  Thinking to one of my favorite shrimp dishes I opted for a sweetened chili lime sauce.  That sauce complimented this so well that the burger literally needed nothing else.  Well okay, maybe it needed  a twin … LOL

Day 6 – Countdown to Christmas Ginger Asian Turkey Burgers with Sweetened Chili Lime Sauce 2012

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• Author: The Kitchen Whisperer

Ingredients

Burgers

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon sriracha hot chili sauce (found in the Asian aisle)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup chow mein noodles, crushed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Sauce

• 1 cup chili sauce
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• 2 tablespoon honey

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Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl using your hands. Be careful not to overwork it. You just want to blend it together.
2. Heat medium sized skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the oil.
4. While the oil is heating up, form the patties (4-6 burgers).
5. When you form the patties make an indent in the top of each burger in the middle. This will help them to not form like footballs.
6. Cook the burgers 5-6 minutes on one side.
7. Check to see if it’s a dark golden brown.
8. Flip the burgers and cook another 5-6 minutes or until internal temperature equals 165F.
9. To make the sauce mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
10. To serve, put the burger on a toasted sesame bun and top with the sweetened chili lime sauce.

Notes

If you don’t like turkey, this would so work with ground chicken, beef or Ohhhhhhhhh even in a shrimp burger! OMG! YES!!!

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