Recipe: Turkey Cheddar Burgers

I found a much more traditional recipe for Turkey Cheddar Burgers. I really love the flavor of sharp cheddar cheese in my sandwiches and with a turkey burger it’s perfect. These are even better with an oozing hot melty layer of cheddar within the turkey patty. I like my patties thin so that the focus is equally cheddar as it is turkey even though it doesn’t look as impressive. Since I don’t really like mayo, I use greek yogurt instead. I only use a tiny bit of the sauce and allow the tomato slices to create the wet texture in each bite.

Recipe Adapted From: Ruth Cousineau, Gourmet.com
Yield: 4 Servings
Time: Total 35 minutes
Ingredients:
For burgers
1 large shallot, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 lb ground turkey (not labeled “all breast meat”)
5 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, cut into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices
4 hamburger or kaiser rolls

For sun-dried tomato mayonnaise
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Accompaniment: lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes

Make burgers:
1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook shallot in oil with salt and pepper in an 8-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Add turkey and mix gently but thoroughly.

3. Turn out turkey mixture onto a sheet of wax paper and divide into 8 equal mounds. Pat 1 mound into a 4-inch patty and top with 1 piece of cheese, then put a second mound on top, patting it onto other patty to enclose cheese. Pinch edges together to seal and shape into a single patty. Make 3 more burgers in same manner.

4. Heat an oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then grill burgers, turning over once, until just cooked through (no longer pink), 8 to 9 minutes total.

5. While burgers are cooking, heat rolls on a baking sheet in oven until crusty, about 5 minutes. Transfer rolls to a rack to cool slightly.

Make mayonnaise and assemble burgers:
1. Purée tomatoes with water, vinegar, and salt in a blender or mini food processor, scraping down sides as necessary, then blend in mayonnaise.

2. Cut rolls in half horizontally (if necessary) and spread cut sides with tomato mayonnaise. Serve burgers on rolls with lettuce and tomato slices.

Let me know what you think or if you have any recommendations. Click here to see more recipes.