This is the best time of the year. Sure, I look forward to planting flowers, summer holiday parades and lazy days at the beach. What I’m really thinking about, though, is an entire summer ahead for grilling everything from the daily catch to the garden’s veggies.
We’ll kick off the season like we always do: With burgers. These bronzed beauties and Memorial Day weekend go together like ketchup and mustard.
In recent years, thanks to their surge in popularity at upscale restaurants, burgers have transitioned from a go-to weekday dinner to an indulgent night out. That’s good and bad news — good because a well-made burger deserves admiration and adulation.
The downside? This easy-to-cook, relatively inexpensive, unpretentious meal now often shows up dressed with expensive, indulgent and super-fattening ingredients. We’re talking Gorgonzola and other rich cheeses, bacon inside and out, creamy sauces, even fried egg toppings.
For health’s sake, let’s dial it back a bit. And for the sanity of the home cook. I need this entree on my weekly menu — especially now when my hungry and weight-conscious young adults arrive from college for the summer.
So in addition to our favorite beef chuck burgers, turkey burgers and veggie burgers will be on the menu. Lean turkey appeals when seasoned in a way that allows the flavor of the meat to shine. I like to add fresh herbs and a surprise such as kalamata olives. Proper cooking will yield juicy results.
“Burgers” made from vegetables only need a spray of olive oil for flavor and to promote tenderness when cooking. A generous sprinkle of a hearty grill rub (such as Weber Gourmet Burger Seasoning or McCormick’s Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning) will give a burger profile. Then, just as the vegetables come off the grill, a light coating of balsamic vinegar adds brightness and complexity.
For condiments, let’s take a hint from those fancy burger-slinging joints and make our own. Stir herbs into mayo, spicy mustard into barbecue sauce and fresh horseradish into ketchup. Or, make a fast veggie pickle from fresh citrus juice, salt and a modicum of time. Now there’s a fine kickoff to a summer of grilling.
Tips for great burgers
1. Buy wisely: Fresh, coarsely ground meat tastes best, so skip the meat case and go to a butcher who knows the pedigree of the meat being sold. For ground turkey, use a combination of breast and dark meat for best flavor and texture. Look for all natural meats and turkey without seasonings or additives.
2. Season the meat before shaping into burgers — that way it will taste great through and through — not just on the exterior.
3. Chill seasoned burgers up to 1 hour before cooking to let the seasonings mellow.
4. Thoroughly preheat the coals or gas grill.
5. Cook on natural, hardwood charcoal for optimal flavor; use a gas grill for speed (adding a packet of soaked wood chips to the grill will boost smoke and flavor). Indoors, heat a nonstick ridged grill pan until very hot; add the burgers and sear one side. Flip and finish in a 400 degree oven for even cooking with less stove top splatter.
6. Test meat and poultry burgers for doneness by pressing on the center of the burger — it should barely yield indicating medium-rare to medium doneness. Do not pierce the meat or press on it during cooking or juices will escape. Veggies on the other hand, require the tip of a sharp knife to test for tenderness.
7. Add cheese during the last minute of cooking; any earlier will just mean the cheese melts off. Don’t over-cheese or you’ll overpower the meat. Mild cheeses on mild poultry burgers — stronger cheeses such as blues, smoked and goat cheeses with bison, lamb and beef burgers.
8. Choose complementary breads — mild-tasting turkey burgers taste great on crispy toasted, whole grain breads. Heartier beef burgers are delicious on less complex breads.
9. Control the condiments — let the flavor of the meat and bread shine through.
Grilled turkey burgers with kalamata olives, herbs
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/4 cup pitted, chopped kalamata or black olives
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/8 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 slices provolone or Colby cheese, optional
4 hearty whole wheat burger buns, split, toasted
Mayonnaise, optional
Quick pickles, see recipe below
1. Put turkey, olives, breadcrumbs, parsley, sage, salt, thyme and pepper into a large bowl. Gently mix together with your hands. Shape into 4 burgers, each about 1/2-inch thick. Refrigerate up to an hour or so.
2. Heat gas grill to medium or prepare a charcoal grill until coals are covered in gray ash.
3. Grill burgers directly over the heat, 6 minutes. Gently flip; grill until juices run clear and center of burgers is nearly firm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Top with a slice of cheese if using; grill, covered, 1 minute.
4. Serve on toasted buns spread with mayonnaise and topped with a pile of the quick pickles.
Nutrition information:
Per serving: 410 calories, 19 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 123 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrates, 37 g protein, 990 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Quick pickles
Very thinly slice 1 large or 2 small zucchini or yellow squash into rounds with a mandoline or slicing side of a four-sided grater. Mix zucchini, 1/2 cup shredded carrots, juice of half lemon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let stand, 30 minutes. Refrigerate covered up to 2 days. Makes: 1 1/2 cups
Veggie burgers
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Note:
To cut cauliflower, slice through the middle of the head (including the core) to make thick slabs. One large head will yield 4 slabs and a bunch of small pieces that can be used in salads or in the quick pickle recipe.
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, about 1 pound, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch thick slices OR
4 to 6 large portabella caps, stems removed, wiped clean OR
4 slices (1-inch thick) from a large cauliflower head
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Grill rub
8 thick slices French bread or 4 hamburger buns, split, toasted
Balsamic vinegar
Herbed ricotta spread, see note below
Roasted red peppers, cut into strips
Fresh basil leaves or arugula
1. Spray or brush vegetable slices with olive oil. Sprinkle on both sides with grill rub. Brush cut sides of bread with oil.
2. Heat gas grill to medium or prepare a charcoal grill until coals are covered in gray ash.
3. Grill vegetables, turning once, until tender and golden on both sides, about 8 minutes for eggplant or portabella mushroom caps, 12 to 14 minutes for cauliflower slabs. Remove to a plate. Grill bread until golden, about 2 minutes.
4. Generously spread 4 slices bread with ricotta mixture. Top each with grilled vegetable, roasted peppers and basil leaves. Top with a second slice of grilled bread.
Note:
Mix drained ricotta with fresh chopped chives and basil, salt and pepper.
Nutrition information:
Per serving: 172 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 26 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 208 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Herbed ricotta spread
Mix together in a bowl, 1 carton (15 ounces) nonfat ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, 1 teaspoon finely chopped assorted fresh herbs such as basil or thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and coarsely ground pepper. Refrigerate covered up to 3 or 4 days. Makes: About 2 cups.
