My Big Fat Greek Turkey Burgers Recipes

MY BIG FAT GREEK SALAD

Steps:

• Peel off a few strips of cucumber skin using a channel knife, creating a striped pattern. Cut cucumbers in half crosswise. Cut each half into quarters before cutting into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Place into a colander; toss with some kosher salt and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut cherry tomatoes in half. Rinse cucumbers; drain thoroughly for 10 to 15 minutes more.
• While cucumbers are draining, slice onion thinly. Cut bell pepper into strips. Turn knife diagonally and cut strips into diamond-shaped pieces. Slice Kalamata and green olives.
• Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, olives, and 2 tablespoons oregano in a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Sprinkle in vinegar and toss thoroughly. Drizzle in olive oil. Add about 2/3 of the feta cheese and toss again. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Give the salad another mix. Taste and season as desired. Scatter remaining feta cheese on top and garnish with remaining oregano.

GREEK TURKEY BURGERS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion and feta. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, egg, olive oil and dried oregano and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper then pour over the turkey and mix with your hands to combine.
• Divide the burger mixture into 4 portions and mold into patties. Place on a cutting board or plate dividing the patties with parchment paper and refrigerated for 30 minutes up to overnight. You could also individually freeze the patties at this point for up to 3 months.
• Prepare the tzatziki sauce by grating the cucumber. Gather the cucumber together and place in a paper towel and press the water out of the shredded cucumber and place in a medium size bowl. Add the yogurt, garlic, red wine vinegar, fresh dill, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
• Heat a non-stick grill pan over medium heat and spray well with cooking spray.
• Place the turkey burgers on the grill, cover with an upside down sheet pan or lid and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Be sure to watch the burgers and monitor your heat as the burgers will brown quickly if the heat is too high.
• Slather buns with tzatziki sauce and garnish with lettuce leaves and red onion. Or serve bunless in the bibb lettuce leaves.

MY BIG FAT GREEK BURGERS

Steps:

• NOTE: I USE 50% GROUND BEEF WITH 50% GROUND LAMB, WHICH IS A BALANCED MELDING OF FLAVORS.
• TRADITIONAL PREPARATION METHOD: INTO a large bowl add the SEASONED GROUND MEAT ingredients without mixing; IN another small bowl beat one egg with 1 tablespoon flour; ADD egg/flour mixture to ground meat ingredients in large bowl; WHISK 1/4 cup milk and 1/8 cup ouzo or Pernod (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) in a small bowl and add 1/2 cup bread crumbs; ALLOW mixture to absorb; ADD to meat mixture; MIX well; CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• QUICK FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: INTO large food processor add 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/8 cup ouzo (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) and 1/2 cup bread crumbs; PROCESS; ADD the MAIN MEATBALL INGREDIENTS except for ground lamb and feta cheese; PROCESS; ADD ground lamb; PROCESS (Feta cheese may be added to mixture now and processed or folded into after); CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• SHAPE meat mixture into six patties.
• PLACE patties onto a baking sheet (do not use a broiler pan with grill since patties will stick to the grill and/or and be difficult to remove after broiling).
• PREHEAT oven to BROIL.
• BROIL the patties 2-3 minutes, TURN patties using a metal spatula (NOTE: YOU MAY ADD CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE OVER BURGERS NOW IF DESIRED); BROIL 2 minutes longer or until desired doneness is reached (patties will continue to cook after removing from oven); REMOVE pan from oven; COVER patties with foil.
• MAKE CUCUMBER-DILL SAUCE: Combine Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Sauce recipe ingredients in a small bowl (1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup finely diced cucumbers, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 1/2 teapoons dried dill, 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh mint or 1/4 teaspoon dried mint, 1/2 teaspoon finely minced onions, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest); CHILL before serving.
• WARM or toast buns if desired (For toasted steamed buns if desired, melt butter a large skillet over medium heat; PLACE place halved buns cut-side down; REDUCE heat and cover until buns are browned on bottom and heated through); SPREAD the CUCUMBER-DILL YOGURT SAUCE; ASSEMBLE burgers as desired with above FIXINGS.
• SERVE and say, "OPA"!

MY BIG FAT GREEK BURGERS

Steps:

• Click here to see how she does it.
• In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the feta cheese, dill and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine.
• Divide the turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Put 2 tablespoons of the spinach-feta mixture onto half of the patties. Top with remaining patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season the burgers on both sides with the salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat, or prepare the grill. Grill the patties until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
• To serve, place a burger on the bottom half of each bun, top with about 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce, then 2 or 3 cucumber slices and a lettuce leaf. Top with the other half of the bun and serve.

STUFFED TURKEY BURGERS

Steps:

• Divide turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Sprinkle 4 of the patties with 2 tablespoons each of roasted red peppers and cheese, and top with remaining patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Grill or broil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

MY BIG FAT GREEK TURKEY BURGERS

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt and pepper.
• 2. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the feta cheese, dill and ¼ tsp black pepper and stir to combine.
• 3. Divide the turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Put 2 tbsp of the spinach-feta mixture onto half of the patties. Top with remaining patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season the burgers on both sides with the salt and remaining ¼ tsp pepper.
• 4. Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat, or prepare the grill. Grill the patties until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
• 5. To serve, place a burger on the bottom half of each bun, top with about 2 tbsp of yogurt sauce, then 2 or 3 cucumber slices and lettuce leaf. Top with the other half of the bun and serve.

CURRIED TURKEY BURGERS

Steps:

• Shake mustard seeds in medium skillet over low heat until seeds begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to bowl. Mix in applesauce, 1 tablespoon yogurt, 2 tablespoons chutney, 2 teaspoons curry powder, salt and cayenne. Mix in turkey, 4 tablespoons onion tops and 4 tablespoons mint. Shape into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.
• Mix apple, 3/4 cup yogurt, 3 tablespoons chutney, 3/4 teaspoon curry powder, 3 tablespoons onion tops and 3 tablespoons mint in small bowl.
• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Spray burgers with nonstick spray; grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Cut 1 end off each pita; fill with 1 burger, some lettuce and 1/4 of yogurt mixture.