Turkey Burgers with Kale Salad

To be very honest, when I hear the word burger, turkey is the last word that comes to mind.

What I really like is a nice all beef juicy burger.

That said, I also like to experiment with different possibilities and today I made one that was pretty good. The main secret is the sauce and the salad. They will give the taste and moisture that turkey usually lacks.

The recipe has three parts, the turkey patty, the sauce and the salad.

Turkey burgers:

• 1 pound of ground turkey.
• 2 tbs grainy Dijon mustard.
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced.
• 2 tbs bread crumbs.
• 1/4 cup grated aged cheddar cheese.
• salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all the ingredients with your hands and make patties. It should yield 4 pieces.

Kale salad:

• 1 bunch of black kale, or cavolo nero or any kind of kale you like.
• 2 carrots, grated.
• 1/2 cup  good olive oil.
• 3 tbs tamari sauce.
• 2 tbs white vinegar.

Mix all the ingredients vigorously so the kale is completely covered with the dressing.

Kale and carrots are truly a match made in heaven. This salad is so good, you can skip the bun and 

land your burger on the top of a little salad mountain. Or serve this salad with some grilled shrimp.

Mint-cilantro aioli:

• 1 cup of mayo
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tbs finely chopped mint.
• Juice of one small lime
• 1 pressed garlic clove.
• salt and pepper to taste.

Mix really well and keep it refrigerated until time to serve.

Cook the burgers on skillet or grill. Add a spoon of aioli to the bottom of the bread, ( I used brioche buns)  the burger, and a spoonful of kale salad on top.

You can also add a slice of cheese to the burger just before they are done.

I served mine with an exotic mix of chips from Terra. It has carrots, kabocha and purple potatoes.