Turkey-Spinach Burgers With Sweet Soy-Ginger Sauce

Category: Main Dishes | Blog URL: http://www.adoctorskitchen.com/archives/turkey-spinach-burgers-with-sweet-soy-ginger-sauce-2

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: Deborah Chud

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 package (5-ounce) fresh baby spinach

1 pound ground turkey (white meat)

3/4 cup chopped scallions

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil or canola oil

3 tablespoons sliced scallions for garnish, optional

Preparation

In small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and ginger; bring to boil over medium-high heat, whisking to dissolve sugar. Reduce until slightly syrupy, about 3 minutes. Adjust heat, if necessary, to prevent boil-over. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. (Sauce may be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in a covered container.)

Bring large pot of water to boil. Cook spinach for 1 minute. Drain and transfer to cold water bath to stop the cooking. Drain again. Dry thoroughly between layers of paper towels. (Spinach may be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in covered container.)

In large bowl, combine turkey, scallions, sesame oil, reserved spinach, and 1 tablespoon of reserved sauce. Season with salt and pepper and blend well without overworking.

Form turkey-spinach mixture into 4 patties, about 3½" across and 1" thick.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add patties and cook about 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned and cooked through. Lower heat if necessary to prevent burning. Serve with some of the sauce spooned over. Garnish with the sliced scallions, if desired.

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About

For 25 years, I've been happily married to someone whose food preferences are at the furthest verge from mine. He craves comfort; I seek adventure. He likes mellow; I love spicy. He wants familiar, I need surprise.

To give you the full flavor of it: Over the past month, I've been working on a broccoli soup (coming soon to Recipe of the Week). On the first round, I pureed the soup and added a little tarragon. His reaction? "There's something weird in it." The next week, I omitted the tarragon, but left the soup chunky to lower the glycemic index. Response: "I'd like it better if it were completely pureed." (My rejoinder: "I'm going to puree ALL of your food from now on.") And so it goes.

To limit this dynamic, I usually alternate cooking for him and for myself. Once in a while, however, our tastes intersect, and these burgers are a case in point. They're complex enough for me and soothing enough for him. Unless you hate ginger or scallions, they're probably in your sweet spot too!