So Many Dishes

Yesterday was Ken’s birthday. He is the master of stretching the celebration. It’s never just one day. Our “special dinner” will be tonight, and then Alice, Luke, and Dante will join us for dinner on Saturday for a family celebration. Actually, it will stretch into Sunday, because the monthly recognition of birthday celebrants at our church will be during the coffee hour after Sunday’s service.

I’m not quite sure why the “special” meal wasn’t last night; maybe it was just a ploy to request yet another favorite food. It’s family tradition, carried over from when I was growing up, that the person whose birthday it is chooses the meal. (This doesn’t always work for me, as my birthday falls in Thanksgiving week. I don’t mind when it actually falls on Thanksgiving, but there have been years where my birthday dinner has been leftovers). Whatever the reason, Ken chose our favorite burger for last night, and I was happy to comply.

It may seem odd that a turkey burger would be a favorite, but these are so good that they’ve become our go-to burger. Since we first tried this recipe from The Chicken Bible, I can’t think of a time I made actual beef hamburgers.

The burgers include panko and shredded cheese, with mayonnaise as the binder. The result is a moist, flavorful patty with a crunchy crust: hence the recipe name, crispy California turkey burgers. We top them with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and Chicken Bible’s classic burger sauce. We actually refer to that as special sauce, as in “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese…,” because the taste is same. (Of course, I say that, but I probably haven’t had a Big Mac since we returned from Prague in 1993. Mickey D’s was where we’d take the kids when they were homesick.) We leave off alfalfa sprouts because I always end up throwing half the container away, and we didn’t include avocado this time. I wish I knew the trick for how to have an avocado ripe when I need it. It’s either still hard or brown inside when you cut it. But that was fine. We could barely get our mouths around the sandwich as it was.

The recipe makes four substantial burgers. Trust me, you do not need more than one to fill you up. I picked up a container of coleslaw from Publix, and that was all we needed for a great birthday burger meal.

Crispy California Turkey Burgers

• 1 pound ground turkey (I use 93% lean)
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (Colby Jack or cheddar work fine, too)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 hamburger buns
• 4 leaves Bibb or leaf lettuce
• 1 tomato, cored and sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts
• Classic burger sauce (aka special sauce)

Break turkey into small pieces in large bowl. Add panko, cheese, mayonnaise, and pepper and gently knead with your hands until well combined. Divide turkey mixture into four equal portions, then shape each portion into a 3/4-inch thick patty. Using your fingertips, gently press center of each patty down until about 1/2-inch thick, creating a slight divot.

Sprinkle patties with salt. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Transfer patties to skillet, divot side up, and cook until well browned on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. (I let them go the full 6 minutes. Don’t rush, or you won’t get the crust.) Flip patties, reduce heat to medium low, and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes. (I go strictly by my instant-read thermometer).

Arrange lettuce, tomato, and onion on bun bottoms. Place burgers on top, and top with sauce, avocado, and sprouts, passing extra sauce separately. Serves 4.

À quick note about the sauce: this is half the original recipe, because I’ve found that it’s more than enough for four servings. If you like more, just double it.

Classic Burger Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon cider or white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Happy eating, everyone!