Book Two: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2010

Recipe: Mediterranean Turkey Burgers


Wow...blogging on food is hard work. Makes a girl hungry! One can use an extra set of hands or another person for the photo shoot alone. (Ashley! Where are you?) Taking photos can be a bit messy when your hands are covered in hamburger. And not to mention it takes longer to get the food on the table. Then to ask your guest to please not eat yet for I need one more picture of the finished product!! Sorry!! Ha ha ha! All in all it is fun and it is giving me incentive to cook through all these books.

I chose to make the Mediterranean Turkey Burgers for they sounded so good. One cannot possibly go wrong with feta, arugula and tzatziki sauce. They were good; however they did not WOW me like I had hoped. The aroma while mixing the ingredients together and sizzling on the grill (pan) was divine, but the flavor just was not bold enough for my tastes. I would say I probably would not make these again. I served the burgers with a side salad and potato wedges that had a sprinkle of cayenne. Along with a glass of good wine and a movie, it made for a nice evening.

Success meter (scale of 1-3): 1

Mediterranean Turkey Burgers

Serves 4

Prepare a spicy and creamy tzatziki sauce to spread on the burgers or to serve on the side for dipping. Combine ½ cup plain low-fat, Greek-style yogurt; ¼ cup finely chopped seeded cucumber; ¼ teaspoon salt; and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper.  Serve with sliced bell pepper and celery sticks.

½ cup panko

¼ cup (1oz) crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon minced red onion

2 tablespoons commercial pesto

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 garlic clove, mined

Cooking spray

2 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, toasted and halved

1.       Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; mix until combined. Divide panko mixture into 4 portions, shaping each into a ½-inch-thick oval patty.

2.       Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 patty and ½ cup arugula in ach pita half.