Turkey + Courgette Burgers

We like connecting with others around us over creative things and every once in a while, we would like to invite others to share their creative endeavours in this space with us! Today, I've invited Bethany, a dear friend and food enthusiast, to share a few thoughts and something tasty. She works in a cute cookbook shop, Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks, and is surrounded by food inspiration daily so she always has something delicious to share. You can also find more of Bethany's previous cooking adventures on her blog, Page and Crumb. Now, without further ado, here she is to share a delectable looking recipe!

When my husband and I moved to Edinburgh for his Masters degree, I was afraid we’d be lonely. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. During the two years we lived in Scotland, we made some wonderful new friends and had 20 friends and family members come to visit us! Naturally, this meant a lot of cooking and sharing meals around our table. And while the conversations were always different, one thing was always the same, the food on the table had to be simple, but delicious.

One of our favourite cookbooks to get inspiration from is Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi. Initially I thought this book would be one for special occasions only, one I would bring out when I wanted to make something really different and impressive. But I’ve found myself easily making dishes inspired by this ancient city even on the weekdays.

This recipe for Turkey Courgette Burgers is one of our favourites for both ease and flavour. They are the perfect kind of sharing food, and are very portable- great for picnics and potlucks with both old and new friends. We usually serve them with cous cous (made with the zest of one orange and chopped almonds) and a green salad.

And even though I seem to be one of those people who can never fully complete a grocery list, these little guys always come together. Forgot the cilantro? Add more mint. No green onions? Use red instead. Oftentimes I use extra courgette; it’s become a little game to see just how much I can add without the burgers crumbling apart, and they look so beautiful with all that green inside.

Turkey & Courgette Burgers with Spring Onion and Cumin

Adapted from Jerusalem

For the burgers you’ll need:

500g ground turkey

2 medium courgettes (zucchini), grated

2-3 spring (green) onions, thinly sliced

1 large egg

2 tbsp chopped mint

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

pinch of dried chilli flakes

vegetable oil, for frying

Sour Cream and Sumac Sauce:

100 g sour cream

150 g Greek yoghurt

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 small garlic clove (or half of a big one), crushed

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sumac

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

First make the sumac and sour cream sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the flavours according to what you like. We like it extra sour, so often add more lemon juice and sumac. Refrigerate until needed.

Then, in a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients for the burgers except the oil. Once thoroughly mixed, shape into burgers that are roughly the size of your palm.

Coat your frying pan with a thin layer of oil to keep your burgers from sticking and preheat the pan to medium high. Once the pan is hot, add the burgers and fry until cooked through and golden brown. Serve warm or room temperature with the sauce spooned over or on the side.

-Bethany