My first experience with a stuffed burger was when Rachael Ray introduced her Inside-Out Burger. It was love at first bite. That was a while ago, and since then, stuffed burgers have become increasingly popular. I can see why. Instead of piling all those extras on top of the burger, which often makes for sloppy and awkward eating, you get all those flavors within the burger. Brilliant! Recently I invested in a new kitchen gadget: a Cuisinart 3-in-1 Burger Press. I figured preparation would be so much easier with a gadget that actually puts a pocket in the burger for you, giving you ample room to stuff it with ingredients of your choosing. This past weekend I gave it the first trial run. The instructions that came in the package left a lot to be desired; so I followed the directions that someone who had reviewed this item posted on Amazon. Her instructions worked better. I was also disappointed that there was no recipe booklet included, as I was hoping to get a little inspiration beforehand. Despite that, no regrets on this purchase. If you spray the plastic parts with non-stick cooking spray before use; and make your top patties first, then set aside; this burger press works like a dream. I plan on getting a lot of use out of my new kitchen toy. (This is not a reimbursed product endorsement; I just thought it would be helpful to share this info, especially if you're curious about new kitchen gadgets, like me.) Don't worry, you don't have to run out and buy a burger press to make this recipe. Just put stuffing mixture between 2 patties and seal.
I got the idea for this turkey burger recipe from ©Eating Well Magazine, but I put my own spin on it and the final result was amazing! First, I combined ground turkey with green onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, salt and pepper. I then formed mixture into top and bottom patties. I filled the bottom patty cavity with a mixture of freshly shredded mozzarella cheese and chopped fresh basil. Meanwhile, I heated Marinara sauce for dressing the burgers. Now for the best part: I served these burgers on seasoned focaccia bread. To make the bread, I unrolled a can of Pillsbury® Refrigerated Classic Pizza Crust, then brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with Herbs de Provence seasoning and generously coated with Parmesan cheese. I cut the bread into squares large enough to accommodate the burgers. To call these turkey burgers tasty would be an understatement. These were phenomenal!
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| Olive Oil in pic is not needed for burgers (but is needed for foccacia. I'll show foccacia ingredients below). |
Preheat grill.
Chop green onions. Mince garlic. Zest lemon. Shred mozzarella cheese (if not using pre-shredded). Chop basil.
In small bowl, combine 1/2 of shredded mozzarella and chopped basil.
Spray all parts of burger press with non-stick cooking spray. (The burgers will stick to plastic parts without spraying before use.)
In bowl, combine ground turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, salt and pepper. Gently combine, without over mixing, until evenly incorporated.
Using the burger press, I got 3 burgers (tops & bottoms) from 1 pound of turkey. So, divide the meat into 3 portions. Use a little less than half of each third for the top patty. Put the top patty aside on a plate.
Fill bottom cavity of each patty with mozzarella mixture. Place top patty over. Press down with burger press top. Release from burger press. (The bottom portion of the press pushes up to release the burger.)
Repeat for next two burgers, again spraying all parts of burger press before making each burger.
If necessary, using your fingers, seal around edges of burger to keep filling intact.
Meanwhile, heat marinara on stove top.
Cook burgers on pre-heated grill, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 165° F., 8 to 10 minutes total.
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| Olive oil missing from pic (which is in pic above instead). |
While burgers are cooking, prepare focaccia bread. Unroll pizza dough onto baking sheet, evenly shaping into a rectangle. With fingertips, make indentations on top of dough several inches apart. Brush with oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, Herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning) and Parmesan cheese.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cut focaccia bread into squares a little larger than burger.
To assemble burgers: Spread 3 Tablespoons of marinara on focaccia square bottoms. Top with burger, then 3 more Tablespoons of marinara, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Top with 2nd square of focaccia bread.
MOZZARELLA STUFFED TURKEY BURGERS
Source: Adapted from ©Eating Well Magazine
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com
INGREDIENTS:
Turkey Burgers:
- 1 pound lean (93%) ground turkey
- 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded, divided
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- Marinara sauce, homemade or jarred
Focaccia Bread:
- 1 can (13.8 ounces) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, or Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. (This is for focaccia bread.)
2. Preheat grill.
3. In bowl, combine turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, salt and
pepper. Gently combine without over mixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 6 patties (3 for top,
3 for bottom).
4. In small bowl, combine 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella with basil. Place an equal amount in the center
of 3 patties. Cover with remaining patties and crimp the edges closed.
5. Meanwhile heat marinara sauce on stove top.
6. Cook burgers on pre-heated grill, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center
registers 165° F., 8 to 10 minutes total.
7. While burgers are cooking, prepare focaccia bread. Unroll pizza dough onto baking sheet, evenly
shaping into a rectangle. With fingertips, make indentations on top of dough several inches apart.
Brush with oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, Herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning) and Parmesan
cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Cut focaccia bread into squares a little larger than burger.
9. To assemble burgers: Spread 3 Tablespoons of marinara on focaccia square bottoms. Top with burger,
then 3 more Tablespoons of marinara, and 1 Tablespoon of remaining mozzarella.
