With the arrival of the new year many of us attempt to lighten our meals after having eaten so much calorie laden food throughout the holidays. For me, to succeed in this effort the food must remain satisfying. The goal is to lose the calories without losing the taste. Easier said then done!
With the first of January one doesn’t have to look far to find healthful, diet conscious recipes and menus. Everywhere you look you will find ideas for less fattening dishes for chicken, fish, salads, soups, and whole grains. But what if what you crave is a juicy burger? Not as easy to find.
I have never been one to like turkey burgers. I always found them to be a little dry and flavorless, probably because there’s a lot less fat in them. And we all know fat is flavor. And veggie burgers have never been my thing.
Some time ago I decided to enter the Ocean Spray Cranberry Recipe Contest. I created a turkey burger to which I added a bit of whole berry cranberry sauce along with some other seasonings, and pan fried it in a little butter and canola oil for lots of flavor. It would certainly be doable if you wanted to grill or broil the burger, but there’s something about pan frying a burger to me, especially in a little butter that really gives it the best flavor. It allows you to brown the outside to a nice crisp while maintaining the juiciness of the burger. Never flatten the burger with a spatula while cooking it because if you do you are allowing all that wonderful juiciness to escape.
Back to the turkey burger…the addition of the cranberry sauce (you can also use homemade cranberry sauce ) adds a sweetness that plays well against the red onion and other seasonings resulting in a really tasty juicy burger.
Served on a toasted roll with a dollop of cranberry sauce on top and a side of slaw or some other salad this makes a satisfying lunch or dinner. And if you’re like me, you won"t even miss the beef! And you definitely won’t miss the calories or fat!
Turkey Burger With Cranberry Sauce (serves 4)
1 pound ground turkey
1 to 1 and ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped red onion
½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce, canned or homemade
½ cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 rolls, such as challah, whole wheat, or whole grain, split and toasted
2 tablespoons softened butter for spreading on buns before toasting, optional
Mix the above ingredients beginning with turkey and ending with parsley gently with a fork in a large bowl until combined. Do not overwork it. Form into 4 one-inch thick burgers.
Heat a large non-stick or regular skillet to medium high. Add the butter and canola oil to the pan, and reduce to medium if necessary to prevent butter from burning. When butter bubbles add the burgers and cook the burgers until browned and cooked through about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Do not press with spatula so they will remain juicy.
While the burgers are cooking spread buns with the softened butter, if using. Toast lightly under the broiler until golden.
Place a turkey burger on bun, and serve with a dollop of cranberry sauce.