Stuffed Turkey Burgers

This is like a full turkey dinner in a burger. It is a burger made with ground turkey, filled with stuffing and topped with cranberry sauce. You could also top with gravy for the full deal!!!

 

A burger that tastes like Thanksgiving or Christmas any time you like.

 

You will need:

 

• 1/2 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 sage leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
• 2 cooked sausages- like mild or hot Italian grilled or cooked in a pan
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to your taste
• 1-2 tbsp cranberry sauce – more to serve on top of burger
• 1/2 pound of ground turkey (a mix of dark and white meat or all dark is best-ground breast is too dry.

 

 

 

 

Step 1: make the stuffing by adding onion, carrot, celery, fresh thyme leaves, fresh sage leaves, fresh parsley, fresh rosemary and cooked sausages into a food processor. Puree until finely minced.

 

 

Step 2: with a few tbsp of olive oil cook for 6-7 minutes until most of the water from the vegetables has cooked out. Add salt and pepper and taste. Adjust to your preference.

 

 

Step 3: add a few tbsp of cranberry sauce. I make my own however store bought is fine. If you don’t have any you can substitute some blackberry or currant jam. Let cool completely.

 

 

Step 4: you can form 2 thin patties and add the filling to the middle by hand or I have used a small lid to use as a form. Place one thin patty as the bottom (it can’t be too thin or the dressing will not be covered) place a ball of stuffing/dressing in the center and top with another thin patty. Mould to enclose the stuffing. Repeat.

 

 

 

Step 5: you can grill these or simple place in a hot cast iron pan with a bit of olive oil. Cook on both sides to develop some browning. Then finish in a 375 degree F oven for another 7-8 minutes to cook through.

 

 

Top with more cranberry sauce, some gravy or just some lettuce and tomato.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

 

Meatballs are always delicious. These are great for an appetizer served on their own with a bit of crusty bread or of course you can serve them with pasta. This is a perfect small recipe for two or you can double it and freeze some for another day.

 

 

You will need:

 

• 1 small onion – grated
• 1/2 apple -grated
• 2 cloves garlic -grated
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (flat parsley) – chopped fine
• 1 tbsp fresh basil – chopped fine
• 350 grams ground turkey
• salt/pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup tomato sauce -I just use a small can of crushed tomatoes and add 2 crushed cloves of garlic, salt and pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoning and stir before adding to pan.
• fresh basil to finish with a bit more grated Parmesan

 

 

Step 1: in a food processor or grate and chop very fine with a sharp knife. Grate onion and apple and garlic. Chop parsley and basil. Add to a large bowl with turkey, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning and grate Parmesan cheese. Mix well. If too wet add a bit more Parmesan or a few tbsp of breadcrumbs.

 

 

Step 2: with a teaspoon as a guide. Make small meatballs.

 

 

Step 3: Sear in a hot pan with olive oil. They do not need to be cooked entirely, they just need a bit of browning.

 

 

Step 4: add your tomato sauce to meatballs and cook gently on medium – low for 15 minutes.

 

 

Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

 

 

Serve with some nice bread or eat as a meal with Spaghetti or your favourite pasta. Top wit a bit of fresh basil and some extra Parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Turkey Steamed Buns

 

 

These little steamed buns are like the pork buns you get in Dim Sum restaurants but, they are made with turkey. You can cook the meat one day and  the dough on another day. You will not be able to eat just one! YUM!

 

 

You will need:

 

• 450 grams turkey breast or thighs – chopped into chunks
• 1 onion- chopped fine
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 cloves garlic – chopped fine
• 1 small fresh chili- chopped fine
• 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
• 1 tsp Ancho chili powder
• 5 Szechuan peppercorns – crushed
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• beer -enough to cover meat (1 small bottle)

Dough

• 1 tsp yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

 

 

 

Step 1: add yeast, water, honey and olive oil to a large bowl. Wait 5 minutes to make sure yeast activates by floating to the top. Add flour and salt and mix with a wooden spoon in bowl until the dough becomes too stiff. Turn out onto a counter and continue to mix and knead with your hands until you form a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest in fridge 1 hour.

 

 

Step 2: chop turkey into large chunks.

 

 

Step 3: chop onion and garlic.

 

 

Step 4: in a small pot cook onions in olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes until just starting to brown.

 

 

Step 5: add garlic and chopped chili pepper. Cook another 5 minutes.

 

 

Step 6: add turkey.

 

 

Step 7: add spices, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, hoisin, Worcestershire, sesame oil, bay leaves and rice wine vinegar.

 

 

Step 8: top with enough beer to just cover meat.

 

 

Step 9: slowly cook on medium-low for 2 hours with the lid on until meat just tears apart.

 

 

Step10: remove the meat from broth. Discard bay leaves.

 

 

Step 11: shred turkey.

 

 

Step 12: cook broth for a few more minutes to thicken and form a thick dipping sauce.

 

 

You could put in the fridge to cool or to assemble the next day.

 

 

Step 13: divide dough into 6 balls. Roll out but keep quite thick so filling stays contained.

 

 

Step 14: place some cooled meat in centre and seal bun.

 

 

Step 15: spray or grease cupcake papers or make squares of parchment paper to place buns on. Place in steamer.

 

 

Step 16: place steamers over gently boiling water and cook 15 minutes.

 

 

EAT!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stuffed Turkey Cutlets

 

A small turkey breast can create several meals for two people. I have cut thick cutlets out of a small turkey breast, then sliced a pocket and stuffed with a typical bread stuffing. You could easily change this to a mushroom and cheese stuffing or ham and cheese. The leftover meat went to making an Asian steamed bun filling. Just because you only have one or two in the house doesn’t mean you can’t eat great meals that freeze perfectly for another day. One cut of meat can create several meals and is more economical.

 

You will need:

 

 

• a small turkey breast
• 2-3 slices of day old bread
• 2 slices of bacon or pancetta
• 6 button mushrooms
• 1 small onion-diced fine
• 2 cloves garlic -crushed or chopped fine
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries – chopped
• some fresh herbs – I used sage, rosemary and thyme chopped = 1 tbsp mix
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground poultry seasoning
• salt/pepper
• 1/4-1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dried breadcrumbs
• olive oil for sauteing turkey

 

Step 1: gather all your ingredients.

 

 

Step 2: chop bread into cubes and place in a small bowl. If it is stale that is perfect. If your bread is fresh toast the slices before chopping. Chop bacon, mushrooms, onion, garlic, cranberries and fresh herbs.

 

 

Step 3: add all chopped ingredients (except bread) into a small saute pan with a few tbsp of olive oil. Add poultry seasoning and salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the water has evaporated out of most of the vegetables and the bacon is browning. Add mix to cubed bread and some chicken broth to soften the bead and make the mix moist. Set aside. All the chicken broth should get absorbed after 10-15 minutes.

 

 

 

Step 5: Take the turkey breast and slice off the flat half of the breast. You want to use the thicker half on the left. Slice thick slices so that you can carefully cut a pocket to fill. I make 5 cutlets from the left side of this breast. I cut the pockets with a sharp small paring knife.

 

 

Step 6: place a few tbsp of stuffing in each breast. Do not overfill. I then placed a sheet pf plastic wrap over the tops and gently pounded the thick portion of the cutlets to try and make them more uniform. You don’t want to be too aggressive or you will pound all your stuffing out. I also did not seal the pocket with a toothpick although you can if you like.

 

 

Step 7: set up the standard breading station. Place each cutlet in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs making sure to seal pocket opening.

 

 

Step 8: in a large pan add enough olive oil to come up to halfway up the cutlets. When oil is hot saute each breast until browned. Season with salt and pepper as soon as they are done frying.  If you wish to prepare this in advance of serving you can place the cooked cutlets on a baking tray and let cool. You can then place in the fridge for up to a day then just take tray and heat in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes to re-heat.  I like to finish in the oven to make sure the turkey is cooked through and all are hot before serving.

 

 

 

I served mine with some homemade cranberry sauce, some more stuffing I had leftover and just sauteed in a pan, sliced potatoes and honey glazed carrots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey and Lemon Polpettine

 

A warming soup with little turkey meatballs and a hint of lemon. Perfect for a weekend lunch when the weather isn’t feeling like Spring just yet.

 

You will need:

 

• 1 leek- sliced thin
• 1 stalk celery – sliced thin
• 1/2 onion – sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic – chopped fine
• 1 tbsp fresh flat parsley – chopped fine
• 1 tbsp fresh basil – chopped fine
• 2 litres chicken broth
• 1/2 lemon juice plus 1 tsp lemon zest
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt/pepper
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta – or other small pasta

Polpettine – tiny meatballs

• 1/2 lb ground turkey – mine was breast so I needed the extra olive oil to help keep it moist
• 1 clove garlic – chopped fine
• 1 spring onion – chopped fine
• 1 tbsp parsley – chopped fine
• 1 tbsp fresh basil – chopped fine
• 1 squeeze lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• salt/pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil

 

 

Step 1: chop the herbs, spring onion and garlic, then add all other polpettine ingredients to the ground turkey. I just mixed it all in the container (1 less thing to wash!)

Form tiny meatballs. Mine were half a teaspoon.

 

 

Step 2: chop all your herbs and vegetables for the soup. I like to chop everything and have it ready to go before starting.

 

 

Step 3: in a saute pan with some olive oil partially cook your little meatballs. I like them to have a little colour on them. They don’t need to be cooked all the way through since they will simmer in the broth to finish cooking. Set aside.

 

 

Step 4: In a large pot (since you will be adding 2 litres of broth) add olive oil, leeks, celery and onion. Saute for 5 minutes to add some flavour to the veggies and to just start to brown.

 

 

 

Step 5: add garlic, parsley and basil and cook 1 minute. Add broth, lemon zest, lemon juice salt, pepper and meatballs. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Taste it and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Add orzo and cook another 5-10 minutes.

 

 

 

Serve in big bowls with extra lemon and olive oil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey Bolognese

Turkey Bolognese is as good as making it with beef and wonderful for a change. The top picture is my plate with a beautiful drizzle of  great olive oil a sprinkling of fresh basil and some grated Parmesan and the second picture is Big Pete’s plate you would think I never feed the boy!

You will need:

• 1 lb. ground turkey – I use a combination of dark/white meat
• 1 small onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 – 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 19 oz. can crushed or whole tomatoes pureed in a blender
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley
• sat and pepper
• fresh Parmesano Reggiano for serving
• a drizzle of exceptional Olive oil for the finish!

Step 1: in a food processor add onion, carrot, celery, fresh thyme, garlic cloves and a couple of basil and parsley leaves. I like to add more at the end for a fresh taste but, I still want to add some flavour while it is cooking. I puree until finely chopped. When you grate the vegetables very fine they almost dissolve in the sauce (good way to hide vegetables if some people in your family complain that they don’t like them. Don’t leave them out….hide them!)

Step 2: in a saute pan with a few tbsp of olive oil and Italian seasoning cook your turkey until water evaporates and it starts to brown. This may take 10 minutes.

Step 3: Once most of the water has evaporated add your vegetables and continue to cook another  10 minutes.

Step 4: Add chili flakes and white wine. Cook a few minutes until wine reduces and add milk.

Step 5: Add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Taste it and adjust salt and pepper. Most people are terrified of salt and pepper but, I assure you tomatoes need salt and if you cook chances are you add way less salt then the food you buy when you are out. I then turn down the heat and let the sauce cook for 1 -1 1/2 hours. The sauce will thicken and it should just quietly “blip” along with the occasional stir from you.

If it gets too dry add some of your starchy pasta water to thin it out.

Step 6: prepare your pasta – never over cook it!

I like to add the basil and parsley at the last-minute and a drizzle of good oil and some cheese if you like. YUM!!

Raspberry Turkey Burgers

 

I love a good burger of any kind so this time I thought I would make a turkey burger with chilies, onions and raspberries. I added lots of moisture to the turkey as well as flavour by processing everything quite finely and then mixing into the normally bland meat. They were grilled and served on fresh Cobb’s Bakery buns (I like them because they have no preservatives – you should look at a grocery store bun ingredient list!) They turned out moist and delicious. I even got the approval when Big Pete said “Make em again!” which is always a good sign from Mister Picky Pants!

 

You will need:

 

• 1 pound ground turkey meat – mine was a blend of white and dark
• 1/2 onion – peeled
• 1 fresh chili – mine is medium heat
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro – or a small handful
• 2 fresh basil leaves – mine were pretty large
• 6-8 fresh raspberries
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt/pepper

 

 

Step 1: in a food processor add onion, chili, cilantro and basil and process until fine. You may have to scrape down the sides a few times. Add the remaining ingredients and process until pureed.

 

Step 2: add to turkey and mix well with your clean hands. Form into 3-4 patties.

 

 

Step 3: grill.

 

 

Top

 

 

and eat!

 

 

 

Turkey Koftas and Tzatziki

Koftas are a street food common in many countries from the Middle East to Asia. They are made with everything from lamb to beef or fish and chicken. I have made mine with ground turkey. Grilled quickly and served with a salad and some Tzatziki (pronounced Tzad-Zeeky not Taz-eeky) they made the perfect lunch today. This recipe is prefect for 2 people but can easily be increased for a larger crowd.

You will need:

• 1/2 lb. ground turkey (if you can get a mix of dark and white it will stay moist more than breast meat alone)
• 2 cloves garlic – crushed
• 1 small onion – grated
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro- chopped fine
• 1 tbsp fresh Italian/flat parsley – chopped fine
• 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• olive oil to drizzle and coat for grilling

Tzatziki recipe follows

Step 1: place turkey in a bowl. Add crushed garlic and grate 1 small onion into bowl.

Step 2: chop fresh cilantro and parsley and add to bowl.

Step 3: add all spices and mix well.

Step 4: form into 3-4 logs and press meat around skewers. Drizzle with olive oil and heat grill.

Step 5: grill on medium heat you can also squeeze some lemon juice over them while cooking.

Serve with mixed green salad and tzatziki.

Tzatziki

• 1 small individual container of plain Greek yogurt (170 grams)
• 1 mini cucumber- grated and squeezed in paper towel to remove water = 1/2 cup English/hothouse cucumber once grated.
• 1 clove garlic- crushed
• 1/2 lemon -zested and juiced
• 1 tbsp fresh flat/Italian parsley – chopped fine
• 1/2 tsp dried mint
• 1/2 tsp dried dill (you can certainly use fresh herbs!)
• salt/pepper to taste
• best quality olive oil to drizzle

grate on box grater and squeeze in paper towels to remove most of water

Finish with a good drizzle of your best Greek olive oil!

Turkey Salad

 

Ground Turkey cooked and served topping a salad is not only fast but, packed full of flavour and perfect on a busy night.

 

You will need:

 

• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 fresh red chili
• 1 spring onion
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 1/2 cup young broccoli (sometimes called broccolette)

Salad

• romaine lettuce
• 1 cup jicama (pronounced HEE- KA-MA) chopped into sticks
• 1 cup English cucumbers – cut into sticks
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• salt/pepper to taste

 

 

 

 

Step 1: in a hot saute pan add turkey and olive oil. Cook well until all the water has evaporated and the meat starts to brown in oil.

 

Step 2: in a food processor add onion, garlic, chili, spring onion and process until finely minced.

 

Step 3: slice young broccoli.

 

Step 4: once meat is browned add vegetables and broccoli and all remaining seasonings. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, cumin and lime juice. Cook a few minutes until broccoli is done but still crunchy.

 

 

Step 5: prepare salad and dress with oil and vinegar right as you are ready to serve.

 

 

 

Top with turkey and broccoli and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts if you like.

 

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Sesame Lime Sauce

Meatballs don’t always have to be in a tomato sauce. These are a baked Turkey Meatball with a Sesame Soy Lime Sauce. I have served them with a medley of vegetables and some rice noodles. Big Pete loved these and told me to make again soon…always a good sign.

You will need:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey – mine was dark meat
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 slice bread- crust removed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
• 2 inch piece of ginger (thumb sized)
• 3 cloves garlic
• a handful of fresh cilantro/coriander -chopped (stems chopped and separated as well)
• 2 spring onions- chopped fine
• 1/2 fresh red chili- medium heat
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Sauce

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 1 finely chopped Spring onion
• 1 lime finely zested

Step 1: in a food processor add ginger, garlic, cilantro, spring onions and chili. Process until fine.

Step 2: in a small bowl add coconut milk and slice of bread. Squish with your fingers and let milk absorb all the milk. You can use any kind of milk here

Step 3: add turkey and herb mixture along with coconut oil (it is solid and will melt) I like to add the coconut oil because typically the turkey does not have much fat in it (especially if you use the turkey breast meat!)

Step 4: form into large meatballs and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with some olive oil.

Step 5: in a small bowl create your sauce. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, honey and lime juice.

Step 6: Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Meatballs should be cooked through and nicely browned on top. I served mine with some rice noodles that I tossed with a medley of crunchy vegetables and some of the sesame soy lime sauce and finally a good grating of fresh lime zest on top.