Get Cooking: 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen (27 page)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F or preheat the broiler (this is for the buns).

2.
Break the egg into a medium-large bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the onion, salt, and about 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and mix well. Add the turkey and mix lightly but thoroughly, using your hands. Rinse your hands, wet them with cold water, and gently form 4 patties, each about ½-inch thick.

3.
Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Place the turkey burgers in the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.

4.
Use a metal spatula to carefully loosen each burger and flip it over, adding a little more oil if the pan seems dry. Cook on the second side for about 4 minutes, or until the undersides are nicely browned.

5.
Meanwhile, split the buns, put them on a baking sheet, cut side up, and heat them in the oven or slide them under the broiler to toast the cut sides. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.

6.
Spread the cut sides of the buns with some of your chosen condiments (the spreadable ones), put a burger patty on each bun bottom, and top with your other selected condiments (the sliced items) and a bun top. Serve right away.

salmon burgers

Makes 4 burgers

H
ere’s a tasty way to enjoy your salmon without breaking the bank. You might be surprised to discover that most canned salmon is made from high-quality wild salmon, and if you are concerned about over-fishing, this is a great way to extend a modest quantity of fish into a great entrée. When you open a can of salmon, you’ll see that most of it looks attractive, but some parts may look a bit, well, sketchy. This would be bits of skin, bones, and fat. No worries. It’s all nutritious, and the canning process makes it all edible, so you can just mix these parts in and they won’t be noticeable in the finished burgers.

These patties freeze and reheat well
after
they’ve been cooked. Once you’ve cooked them, let them cool and then freeze them in a heavyweight resealable plastic bag. Reheat them in the microwave or in a small skillet over low heat.

1.
Open each can of salmon and use the lid to press the salmon down in the can as you tilt it over the sink until most of the liquid has drained out. Put the salmon in a medium-large bowl. Using a fork or your clean fingers, flake the salmon into small pieces. Add the breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, salt, and pepper, and mix until thoroughly combined.

2.
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties, each a generous ½-inch thick.

3.
Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Place the salmon patties in the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.

4.
Use a metal spatula to carefully loosen each burger and flip it over, adding more oil if the pan seems dry. Cook on the second side for about 3 minutes, or until the undersides are nicely browned. Serve each burger with a wedge of lemon.

tuna burgers

Makes 4 burgers

T
his recipe is very similar to the one for salmon burgers, with just a few changes to accommodate the different flavor of the fish. Look for light tuna canned in olive oil—it’s tastier and moister (and usually less expensive) than white tuna packed in water, although either kind will work.

These patties freeze and reheat well
after
they’ve been cooked. Once you’ve cooked them, let them cool and then freeze them in a heavyweight resealable plastic bag. Reheat them in the microwave or in a small skillet over low heat.

1.
Open each can of tuna and use the lid to press the tuna down in the can as you tilt it over the sink until most of the liquid has drained out. Put the tuna in a medium-large bowl. Using a fork or your clean fingers, flake the tuna into small pieces. Add the breadcrumbs, onion, eggs, parsley, lemon juice, and pepper, and mix until thoroughly combined.

2.
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties, each a generous ½-inch thick.

3.
Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Place the tuna patties in the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.

4.
Use a metal spatula to carefully loosen each burger and flip it over, adding a little more oil if the pan seems dry. Cook on the second side for about 3 minutes, or until the undersides are nicely browned. Serve immediately, accompanied by a wedge of lemon.

GET CREATIVE

• You can serve these “as is” with lemon wedges and tartar sauce on the side, or turn them into burgers by serving them on toasted soft rolls or English muffins, with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and thinly sliced cucumbers.
  
• To make tuna melts, top each burger with a slice of Swiss or jack cheese while the second side is cooking.
  
• To take these in a Japanese direction, add a teaspoon of teriyaki sauce to the patty mixture. Spread some mayonnaise and wasabi (Japanese green horseradish) on a toasted sesame roll, then add a tuna burger and top with pickled ginger (the kind served with sushi, sold in Asian groceries).
  

very crisp panko-coated eggplant cutlets

Makes 4 to 6 servings

T
hick rounds of eggplant with a crisp coating and meltingly tender insides make really good cutlets that you can eat burger-style on a bun or just serve on a plate. Look for a big, round eggplant with a shape that will yield the most uniform round slices. The skin should be tight and shiny with no wrinkles, soft spots, or blemishes, because you won’t be peeling the eggplant. You’ll need to cook these in batches, so I’ve included directions for keeping the first batch warm in the oven. If you have two good heavy skillets, you can get them both going at the same time to speed things up. Just be sure to keep an eye on the undersides of all the cutlets as they cook, and adjust the heat accordingly.

1.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Set up a rack in a baking tray on which you can put the cooked cutlets.

2.
Slice off and discard the eggplant top and bottom. Use a sharp knife to cut the eggplant crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. You should end up with 12 to 14 rounds.

3.
Break the eggs into a pie pan, then beat with a fork or a small whisk, adding the teaspoon of water as you go. When the eggs become smooth, stop beating and set aside.

4.
Combine the panko, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. Have a second dinner plate (or two) ready to hold the coated eggplant slices. Have some damp paper towels ready, as well, to wipe your hands as needed.

5.
One at a time, dip the eggplant slices into the egg and then let any excess egg drip off back into the pie pan. Put the moistened slice into the panko mixture, pressing it down firmly so the crumbs will adhere. Then turn it over, and press the second side into the crumbs until it becomes completely coated all over. Shake off any extra panko mixture, and transfer the coated slice to the clean plate.

6.
Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add about a tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.