Herbed Turkey Burger

Ingredients

• 700 g turkey mince
• 1/2 courgette, grated and squeezed dry
• 6 spring onions, finely sliced
• a handful of parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 burger buns
• 1 avocado, sliced
• crisp lettuce leaves

Method

1. Add moisture back

   Grate the courgette, wring it out in a cloth, and mix it through the turkey with the spring onions, parsley, mustard, garlic, paprika and plenty of salt. Turkey mince is extremely lean and dries out fast — the courgette puts moisture back without making the mix wet.

2. Shape with a dimple

   Form four patties wider than the buns with a dimple pressed into the centre of each, and chill 15 minutes. Lean mince has less fat to hold it together, so cold patties are much easier to turn.

   15 min

3. Medium heat, not high

   Fry in the oil over a medium heat, turning once, for about 5 minutes a side. High heat sears the outside long before the centre is safe, and turkey has to be cooked through.

   10 min

4. Check, then rest

   The centre should read 74°C, or run clear when pierced. Rest 3 minutes — even a lean burger loses juice if you cut straight in.

   3 min

5. Build

   Toasted buns with avocado and lettuce. The avocado is doing the job the fat in a beef burger would.