HAPPY, HAPPY GRILLED TURKEY BURGERS WITH MAPLE CARAMELIZED ONIONS
My husband, Steve, is a lover of all things outdoors. He has a green thumb and will literally save trees and baby them at the seedling stage. He spots them like four-leaf clovers in the yard and marks them so they don’t get mowed down. He also loves a backyard cookout.
This recipe works well for us because these lean turkey burgers don’t bust my nutrition goals for the family, so I’m happy, and the intensely deep sweetness of the dark, caramelized onions keep Steve from missing a great burger experience, so he’s happy.
Makes 4 servings
CARAMELIZED ONIONS
2 LARGE VIDALIA ONIONS, THINLY SLICED
3 TABLESPOONS MAPLE SYRUP
¼ TEASPOON CAYENNE PEPPER
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
BURGERS
1½ POUNDS LEAN GROUND TURKEY
1 TABLESPOON WHOLE-GRAIN MUSTARD
3 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1 EGG
2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY
½ TEASPOON SALT
¼ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
OLIVE OIL, FOR BRUSHING
4 BURGER-SIZE CHEDDAR CHEESE SLICES
4 SESAME SEED BUNS, SPLIT AND TOASTED
1. Make the caramelized onions: Cook the onions in a large skillet over low heat, stirring often, until they begin to caramelize and turn brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the maple syrup and cayenne and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook until the onions are caramelized, another 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.
3. Make the burgers: Mix the ground turkey, mustard, garlic, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Form the mixture into four 6-ounce patties. Brush each side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Grill the turkey burgers for 12 to 15 minutes total, flipping the burgers once. Place a slice of cheese on each burger, top with caramelized onions, and serve on toasted sesame seed buns.
SOUTHERN SIMPLE: These sweet onions are a great accompaniment to roasted pork or wild game. If you make a double batch of the onions, half can be saved in the refrigerator for up to a month. They’re a fantastic addition to grilled cheese sandwiches, too.
SOUTHERN SIMPLE: I often serve these burgers with Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Berry Spicy Ketchup.
SOUTHERN SKINNY: Some ground turkey can actually contain more fat than ground beef. Look for ground turkey labeled 90/10; this means it is 90 percent lean ground meat and 10 percent fat.
Vidalia onions come from one specific region of my home state of Georgia that has low-sulfur soil. Each spring the town of Vidalia hosts a festival celebrating the official state vegetable. There is even a Little Miss Vidalia Onion pageant!
