Pat: You know I like my burgers, but who ever thought that a burger could taste this good and be so healthy? My turkey-burger recipe (a favorite with the ladies) is a mixture of ground turkey, fresh marjoram, crushed red-pepper flakes, and garlic. The key to making these burgers taste as good as the old reliable is to use ground turkey that is 85 percent lean. This will yield an incredibly satisfying (and still virtuous) patty. Grilled tomatoes, silky avocado, and a sunny lemon condiment help keep the burger moist.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Turkey burgers

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (85 percent lean)

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram or oregano

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　2 scallions, finely chopped

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　Vegetable oil, for brushing patties

　　1 large tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices

　　1/2 cup Lemon Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

　　4 English muffins, split in half and toasted

　　Leaf lettuce, for garnish

　　1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced, for garnish

　　

Lemon Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise

　　2 teaspoons Creole mustard (see page 93)

　　1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

　　1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

　　(makes 1/2 cup)

　　

Step 1

Use your hands to mix the ground turkey, marjoram, parsley, scallions, garlic, salt, red-pepper flakes, and black pepper in a medium bowl; do not over mix or the burgers will be tough. Shape the meat into four patties, each about 3/4-inch thick, and set them on a plate. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours.

　　

Step 2

Thirty minutes before you’re ready to grill the turkey patties, remove them from the refrigerator. Heat the grill to medium-high. Lightly brush the patties with oil, and grill over direct heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. (Do not overcook burgers or they will dry out.) Brush the grill with additional oil, then grill the tomato slices until they are lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side, and use a metal spatula to remove them from grill.

　　

Step 3

Serve the burgers on the toasted muffins with the grilled tomatoes, Lemon Mayonnaise, lettuce, and sliced avocado.

　　

Lemon Mayonnaise

Step 4

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until needed.

　　From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf.Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters.Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.