Mole Spiced Turkey Burger

How to make Mole Spiced Turkey Burger Recipe - We love deeply flavored mole poblano, with its complex blend of chile peppers, chocolate, cinnamon, and multiple spices, and we wanted to translate the flavors into a burger. Mexico’s national dish, the rich, dark sauce is served most often over chicken or turkey. Rather than making a sauce that goes over the burgers, we decided to blend the spices into the meat.

Ingredients:

1 six-inch (15 cm) corn tortilla, cut into strips

2 tablespoons (28 ml) chicken or turkey stock, or water

22 ounces (620 g) ground turkey (dark meat)

2 tablespoons (15 g) chili powder

1 tablespoon (5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon (1.3 g) cumin seeds, toasted and ground

1/2 teaspoon (0.9 g) coriander seeds, toasted and ground

2 teaspoons (4.6 g) ground cinnamon

1 green pepper, roasted (see sidebar on page 125) and cut into small dice

2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt

Oil for grilling

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

4 hamburger buns

Mango Chile Slaw (recipe follows)

Method:

In a small bowl, soak the tortilla in the stock or water until soft and then purée in a blender or food processor until smooth.

In a medium bowl, mix the tortilla with the turkey, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, green pepper, and salt until fully incorporated.

Divide the mixture into four 6-ounce (170 g) portions and shape into 4 burgers according to the technique in chapter 1 (see page 17). Refrigerate the burgers, covered, until ready to cook.

Prepare a kettle grill for two-zone grilling (page 19). Clean the grill grate well with a stiff wire brush. Build a hot charcoal fire on one side. Leave the other side empty.

When the fire is hot, brush the grate with oil. Remove the burgers from the refrigerator and season with salt and pepper. Grill directly over the fire for 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the cool side of the grill and cook, covered, for 3 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°F (68°C). Remove the burgers from the grill and lightly toast the buns.

To serve: Place the burgers on the buns and top with Mango Chile Slaw. YIELD: 4 burgers

Mole Spiced Turkey Burger