Usually when I post a recipe, I want it to be fantastic,awesome, incredible, inspiring, and/or mind-blowing. With this turkey shishkaburger, I was only shooting for not horrible. Happily, we achieved that andmuch more.I’ve received countless food wishes for turkey burgers overthe years, but just the mere thought of that dull, pale, insipid lump of meat(aka “the Mitt Romney of meat”), had me reaching for the delete button. Evenwhen I’m out for a cheeseburger, and I see someone in front of me begrudginglyorder the turkey burger (hold the mayo), I think to myself, “that poorbastard.”
So, how do you turn the dreaded t-burg into something thatwould cause envy instead of pity? When in doubt, go ethnic! I figured if weborrowed from the famously flavorful shish kabob, but used turkey instead oflamb or beef, we just may be able to pull this off. I know I lot of you think chunksof meat when you hear “shish kabob,” but ground meat is also used, and I’vealways preferred that version anyway.As I mention in the clip, I used the “rising juice method”to test for doneness, but since ground poultry isn’t something you want to takea chance with, I suggest you use a thermometer to ensure an internaltemperature of 165 degrees F. Just keep in mind, since turkey is so low in fat,no matter how incredibly well you season the meat, if you overcook these, evena little, they will be dry.
But, the good news is if you don’t, and remove them withmost of their precious moisture intact, you’ll be enjoying a turkey burgerthat’s not only not horrible, but is actually delicious. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 turkey burgers:1 1/2 lb ground turkey 1 1/2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs1 1/2 tablespoons ground almonds1 or 2 tsp hot chili paste, or minced fresh hot peppers2 cloves crushed garlic1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons salt1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 tablespoon lemon juice2 tablespoons yogurt2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
*I garnished mine with mayo, topped with red onions and tomatoes I tossed in lemon juice, and more cilantro leaves.
I have a confession to make. It has to do with "stuffing". I'm specifically talking the kind of stuffing that we cram inside our Thanksgiving turkey. I've been told that I make delicious stuffing, but I wouldn't know. You see, I'm one of those Un-Americans who doesn't like stuffing.
Until, a couple weeks ago-- I saw a recipe for "Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts", on Mel's Kitchen. I looked at the bowl of apples that I keep stocked for lunches, and realized that apples would make a good pairing with chicken. I had chicken breasts, waiting to become dinner. Then it hit me-- I have lots of fresh French tarragon in our herb garden, and I decided this would compliment the chicken (parsley or sage would work, too). The next thing I knew, I grabbed some shallots, for extra flavor and I preheated the oven to 425F. 
I admit that any kind of measuring, flew out the window. I eyeballed about 1 cup of grated Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
One peeled and sliced apple went into the bowl, and about one cup of breadcrumbs, and a little garlic salt.
After cutting a slit into the boneless chicken breast, I began to cram the stuffing in.
Then I pondered, how to keep all this stuffing from falling out...
..and I grabbed the kitchen twine and problem solved!
I much prefer to sear and roast my meats, whenever possible. This method has proved succesful for me, in that my meats remain moist. After seasoning each breast with coarse salt & pepper, I seared each chicken breast in a bit of olive oil, in an oven-proof skillet.
Then, I flipped them over and put them into a preheated 425F oven, for about 25 minutes (or until the chicken is at 160F).
I removed the chicken breasts, set them on a plate and loosely covered them with foil.
The pan sauce I made, turned out to be one of my best ones yet! I started by deglazing the pan with some apple cider, then I added a splash of white wine. This is Boiled Cider, and I buy it from King Arthur Flour. The boiled cider really brings out the flavor in apple pie, and I'm finding it works great in so many recipes. I added a "splash" (about 2 Tablespoons), and about 1 cup of chicken stock. Then, I let it reduce to about half-- about 7-8 minutes, on medium-high heat.
The pan sauce was truly one of my best-- the sweetness of the apple cider, and a splash of acidity from the white wine-- perfection!
TASTING NOTES: This is a stuffing I learned to love, at first bite. Melted cheese and apples is a terrific combination. The shallots and the mild anise flavor, of the tarragon, added a lovely savory element to the sauce. My husband loved this dinner, and I have to say that I did, too. The next time I make this, I think I'll butterfly the chicken so I can add a lot more stuffing, then roll it, and tie it with kitchen twine. These could easily be prepared in advance, and then cooked when company arrives. This recipe is a keeper. I promise you.
Who says that chicken gets boring? Not this way! I pretty much changed around the original recipe, but I still thank Mel's Kitchen for inspiring me to stuff chicken with apples and cheese--brilliant!
