Burger Time!

Look, it's usually pretty cold around here. I get antsy for nicer weather, and lately, it has been less gloomy than usual. And when the "good" weather hits, I crave food that reminds me of the good 'ol days of living in south Texas, where you could pretty much bank on some nice weather for most of the year.

I am pretty proud of these. The turkey burger gets a little lift from the corn and the spices in the patty (and it's healthy). The sauce is one I have been making or awhile and I whip up a batch everytime BBQ-type food gets made. I am reluctant to let the recipe go here, as it is somehwat of a "secret recipe" of mine, but what the heck.

The onion rings were the star of this meal amongst a very strong field. A smallish commerical grade fryer is best for this (and any other deep-frying applications) is its heating coil maintains even heat so much better. Trust me, pick one up and it'll pay for itself after making these onion rings. Super crispy and light. Enjoy.

Smoky Paprika Turkey Burgers
1 cup bread crumbs, from 2 thick slices of bread
½ cup corn , thawed, if frozen
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika, smoked, if available
½ cup red onion, from 1/2 onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
2 tablespoons parsley, fresh, finely chopped
500 g turkey, ground mince
4 buns
½ cup arugula, (rocket), rinsed and shaken dry

Combine the bread crumbs, corn, salt, pepper, paprika, red onion, Worcestershire sauce, egg and parsley in a large bowl. Mix through thoroughly until all of the ingredients are moistened by the egg. Now add the turkey mince and knead thoroughly with slightly wet hands. Make sure everything is mixed evenly. It helps of the turkey and the egg is somewhat cold, as they tend to be harder to work with once they become warmed up.

Separate the mixture into four parts. Pack each part into a ball, compressing it a bit. Flatten the ball out into a well-rounded patty, about 1/2" or so thick. You don't want these too thick, otherwise they will not cook through (which is bad for turkey) by the time the outsides are done.

Finish all of the patties and wrap them in foil and put them in the fridge for at least an hour to set the shape and make them easier to handle when the time comes to cook them.

When ready to cook, preheat a non-stick grill pan to medium-high. Pull the patties out and when the pan is hot, cook the burgers for 6-8 minutes on each side. Ensure the meat is done and remove from the pan. Place on toasted buns and top with some arugula (rocket) and some smoky barbeque sauce. Serve hot.

Spicy Barbeque Sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon molasses, or treacle
⅛ teaspoon paprika, smoked, if available
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Check seasoning. You should be getting some tang and acidity from the cider vinegar and ketchup. You should be getting some spice from the garlic, chili flakes and paprika. The sweetness comes from the molasses (treacle). Taste for these elements and adjust as necessary.

NOTE: Smoked paprika makes this sauce SO much better; it's worth investing in some. If you have liquid smoke, that can be used as well, though the paprika adds smoke as well as the hint of paprika spice.

Leffe Beer-Battered Onion Rings
1-⅓ cup flour, self-raising
1-¾ cup beer, preferably Leffe (or a good Belgian wheat beer, if you can get your hands on it)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika, smoked
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, cut into somewhat thick rings

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. The consistency should be that of a thick custard, almost a pudding. Adjust either liquid (beer) or flour levels to achieve this. Chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Preheat fryer to 375F/190C. Dip the rings in the batter and fry (in batches) until golden brown, about 30-45 seconds, moving them around so they don't stick together. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. Serve hot.