Cheddar-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

This recipe is  killer--even my youngest brother who "hates" turkey burgers devoured them! I think the secret is the oozing cheesiness of the cheddar tucked inside the grilled patties. And my mom loved the cilantro cream that goes with it--if you like cilantro (I absolutely love it) making the cream will make your whole kitchen smell ah-MAY-zing.


1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast
1/3 to 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1 rounded tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil , for drizzling
1/2 cup sour cream
A handful of cilantro leaves, chopped

Preparation

Chop and dice the onion, cheddar cheese, pepper (I love spicy so I don't seed the jalepeno--even if you don't like spicy these did not turn out hot at all even with the seeds so I say leave 'em in when you chop), garlic.

Pre-heat a large nonstick skillet, or grill to medium-high heat.

Combine the ground turkey, onion, cheddar cheese, chili powder, ground cumin, jalapeño or serrano pepper, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl and mix everything together with your hands. Separate into four equal amounts. Form the mixture into four large patties no more than one inch thick. This recipe makes either four large patties, or can make several smaller patties depending on what you want. My mom suggested making small ones and having them in the fridge for a little high protein and delicious snack!

Drizzle oil on the patties and place them in a hot skillet or on a hot grill with a spatula and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until the turkey is cooked through.

For the cilantro cream, finely chop cilantro, and then combine with sour cream and salt and pepper in a small bowl. I used less sour cream and a little bit of miracle whip, so experiment with what you like and use that for the cream (mayo, etc.).

I also made a quick and fresh salad to serve on the side. Just dice up some ice berg lettuce, red peppers, mango, the other 1/2 of the red onion and top with lime juice and salt and pepper--toss to coat.

Serve the burgers on toasted buns topped with a little of the cilantro cream, and voila!