Burger with Grilled Thai-flavour Turkey Patty

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup thin cucumber slices
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2-1/4 teaspoons sriracha sauce
4 brioche buns
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric, ground
1 teaspoon jalapeño, finely chopped
3 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Combine sugar and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly before adding mixture to cucumber slices to pickle for at least 20 minutes.
2. Preheat grill and plancha to medium-high heat. Mix turkey with seasoning ingredients in a large bowl. Form four evenly sized patties.
3. Drizzle vegetable oil over the plancha and grill patties for four minutes per side until fully cooked or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Allow to rest for a few minutes.
4. Mix mayonnaise and sriracha sauce together. Spread one tablespoon of mayonnaise mixture on both top and bottom of each bun. Place pickled cucumber slices on the bottom bun and place burger on top. Top the burger with basil and mint leaves before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Chef Dale MacKay

Advertisements

Brown Rice Crust Quiche with Turkey and Mushroom

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups cooked whole-grain brown rice, cooled
1 egg
cooking spray

Filling

2-3 tsp canola oil
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp green onion, chopped
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup cooked turkey, diced
3 eggs
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp paprika
dash pepper
dash cayenne pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Stir together rice and one whisked egg.
3. Liberally spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Press rice mixture into bottom and sides of pie plate. Set aside.
4. In small frying pan, heat 2-3 tsp canota oil over medium-high heat and saute mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and green onion. Set aside.
5. Sprinkle cheese, turkey and sauteed vegetables into rice pie crust.
6. In a medium bowl, beat eggs until just blended, and then mix in sour cream, milk, salt, basil, thyme, paprika, pepper, and cayenne. Pour into pie shell.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife gently inserted near the centre comes out clean.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Manitoba Egg Farmers

Low-fat Burgers with Turkey

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey
6 tablespoons minced fresh sage, or 2 tablespoons crumbled dried sage
3 tablespoons minced fresh thvme, or 1 tablespoon crumbled dried thyme
3 tablespoons grated or minced orange zest
salt
freshly ground black pepper
whole-Wheat Hamburger Buns, split
vegetable oil for brushing on grill rack
jellied cranberry sauce, melted for brushing on patties
fresh sage leaves for garnish

Condiments

whole berry cranberry sauce or relish, preferably freshly made
mayonnaise
tender, young spinach leaves

Method

1. In a grill, prepare a medium-hot fire for direct-heat cooking.
2. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, minced or crumbled sage and thyme, orange zest, and a little salt and pepper. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into round patties to fit the buns.
3. When the fire is ready, brush the grillrack with vegetable oil.
4. Place the patties on the grill rack, brush the tops with the melted cranberry sauce, and cook until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
5. With a large spatula, carefully turn the patties and cook, brushing frequently with the sauce, until the patty tests opaque when cut into with a small, sharp knife, about 4 minutes longer. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill to toast lightly.
6. Transfer the patties to the bottom halves of the buns and cover with the bun tops. Garnish plates with the sage leaves. Offer the condiments at the table.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: James McNair’s Burgers

Spanish-style Baked Duck with Pears

Ingredients

6 duck portions, either breast or leg pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
I cinnamon stick, halved
2 thyme sprigs
2 cups chicken stock
3 firm ripe pears
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp saffron strands
2 tbsp raisins
salt and freshly ground black pepper parsley or young thyme sprigs, to garnish
mashed potatoes and green vegetables, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. Fry the duck in 1 tbsp of the oil for about 5 minutes, until the skin is golden. Transfer the duck to an ovenproof dish.
3. Drain off all but 1 tbsp of the fat in the pan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes.
4. Add the cinnamon stick, thyme and stock and bring to the boil. Pour over the duck and bake in the oven for 1-1/4 hours.
5. Meanwhile, halve the pears and fry quickly in the remaining oil until beginning to turn golden on the cut sides.
6. Pound the garlic, pine nuts and saffron in a mortar with a pestle to make a thick paste.
7. Add the paste to the casserole, together with the raisins and pears. Bake for a further 15 minutes until the pears are tender.
8. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with parsley or thyme. Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, if liked.

COOK’S TIP:

A good stock is essential for this dish. Buy a large duck (plus two extra duck breasts if you want portions to be generous) and joint it yourself, using the giblets and carcass for stock. Alternatively buy duck portions and a carton of chicken stock.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Best of Spain

French-style Grilled Duck legs with Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients

6 duck leg confit
coarse salt and cracked pepper
1-1/2 to 2 lb thin-skinned potatoes
1/4 cup duck fat or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh flat-leave Italian parsley, minced

Red Wine Sauce

10 sprigs fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano
2 to 2-1/2 cups full-bodied wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1/4 cup veal or poultry demi-glace
1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Method

1. Bring a pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and parboil just until cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Drain well.
2. When cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes into wedges.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the duck fat until liquefied, 1-2 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, combine the potato wedges and 1-2 tablespoons of the duck fat and toss well to coat. Generously season with salt and pepper and toss with the parsley. Set aside.
5. To make the red wine sauce, strip the leaves from the herb sprigs. Mince the leaves and reserve the sprigs.
6. In a saucepan over high heat, bring the wine to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and whisk in the demi-glace, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the minced herbs, herb sprigs, vinegar, shallots, and garlic and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by one-third, 8-10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan; discard the herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
7. Prepare a CHARCOAL or GAS grill for DIRECT grilling over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
8. Brush and grease the grill grate with duck fat.
9. Place the duck legs on the grill, skin side down, directly over medium-high heat. Grill, turning once, until grill marks appear, 3-5 minutes per side.
10. Move the duck legs to the edge of the grill where the heat is less intense to keep them warm. Grill the potato wedges over the hottest part of the fire, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender-crisp.
11. Mound the potatoes on a platter or divide among 6 individual plates. Top with grilled duck legs and spoon the red wine sauce over the top. Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Adventures in Grilling