Who needs a Maccy Ds? (Meat)

Member Name: katyboo123

Product:	Meat
Date:	12/11/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Healthy full of flavour and fun to make

Disadvantages: Can fall apart when cooking - keep an eye on it!

Home Made Turkey Burgers, Vegetable Chips and Salad

The first time I made these I got a recipe off my friend. It was just the ingredients really, so I used my own (very dumb) head to work out how to make them, I fried off all the ingredients, stuck my hand in and tried to make boiling hot turkey mince in to patties, burning my poor little hand - not recommended! :o)

I have made these over and over again, I have played around with different herbs and spices, to my taste, I have got them just about perfect - you may want to chop and change things until you get the perfect burger for your taste.

If you replace the low fat turkey mince with beef or turkey mince, then you need to change your herbs / ingredients. Try a combination of horseradish sauce and thyme, basil, parsley and roughly crushed black peppercorns with beef. Try mint sauce, mint, oregano and rosemary with lamb.

You will need (for the burgers):

2 tablespoons of Tomato Ketchup
Minced Turkey 250g
Red Onion peeled and chopped roughly x 2
Crushed Garlic Cloves x 4

Teaspoon of:
Sea Salt
Roughly Crushed Black Peppercorns
Tarragon
Paprika
Oregano

To Serve:

Veg chips (included in recipe method below)
Salad
Bread buns / Lettuce / condiments (all optional)

This makes 4 / 5 burgers, depending on how big / small you want them. You can vary ingredient volumes to taste - and you can halve or double the quantities to allow for more diners.

Method:

Place all ingredients in to a large mixing bowl and stir together. If the mix doesn't stick together too well add a little more ketchup until it comes to a sticky consistency. With clean hands pick up balls of the mixture and form in to round patties about an inch and a half thick. Wrap the patties individually in clingfilm or tin foil and place in the fridge.

Now move on and make your vegetable chips - you can choose what veg you use (I don't think sprouts would work too well!) but this is my suggestion:

Peel and slice in to 'chip' shapes whole beetroot, parsnips, sweet potatoes and carrots. Spray with One Cal cooking oil or similar (crisp and dry do a spray oil, haven't tried it, but it is similar). Add a dash of salt and pepper and then roast in the oven for about 45 - 60 minutes on about 200°C. These make a delicious low fat alternative to frozen chips or worse, deep fried chips and they taste lush. They really add colour to your plate, making your meal look more appetising and fulfilling.

Take the turkey burgers out of the fridge - there's no set time you need them in there, about 10 mins or more seems to firm them up and keep them together when cooking. Place under the grill, or in a George Forman and cook for about 7 minutes each side (depending on thickness and size). Ensure the burgers are piping hot through to the middle and that the meat is cooked through prior to serving them.

Stack a burger in to a bun, top with relish / mustard etc, lettuce, sliced tomato / onion, cheese if you like - then spike a cocktail stick through the bun to keep it together when your eating it. Add a brightly coloured salad with plenty of texture to the plate and finish with your veg chips. You could end up with more than your 5 a day on this plate - and you will not be able to wait to eat it! You can also ditch the bun and salad, serve the burger with the chips and pour on beans as an alternative!

Summary: Delightful burger and chips healthy and fulfilling - perfect for a family night in