Turkey meat can be disappointingly dry so I tried this recipe with low expectations. What I had liked was the addition of courgette, and once again Ottolenghi has cracked it. The combination really works as the moisture from the courgettes keeps the burgers from drying out. He also pan fries them quite generously and the addition of herbs & spices
They are great on their own with the sour cream sauce, or you could eat them traditionally served in a bun. We ate them with saffron rice (see recipe this week) which is also one of Ottolenghi’s recipes. The rice gives the meal a more Middle-Eastern feel.
Prep Time | 20 min |
Cook Time | 20 min |
Servings |
burgers
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- 500 g minced turkey
- 1 large courgette coarsely grated (about 200g total)
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tablespoons mint chopped
- 2 tablespoons coriander chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5-6 spring onions thinly sliced
- 4-5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 100 g sour cream
- 150 g Greek yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove crushed
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Ingredients
Turkey & courgette burgers:
Soured cream & sumac sauce:
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- For the sour cream sauce - Place all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside or chill until needed.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan). In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the burgers, bar the sunflower oil. Once evenly mixed, shape into burgers, making about 15-16.
- Pour enough sunflower oil into a large frying pan so you get a thin layer at the bottom, about 2mm thick. Heat up well and sear the burgers in batches on medium heat on both sides. Cook them for about 4 minutes, adding oil as needed, until golden brown and cooked through.
- To keep the burgers warm whilst you finish cooking, transfer the cooked burgers onto an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and place in a low oven 5-7 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the sauce on the side.
If you don't have sumac, feel free to skip and add a little more lemon juice.