Ingredient: ginger, ground

RESHAPING THE BASIC BURGER

It’s only mid May and the enticing smell of the neighborhood barbecues drifts through the air. Spring has felt more like summer due to the high temperatures we are having.

Burgers have long been a summer barbecue staple so why not put a new spin on it. My first thought goes to using the same spice combination for a variety of ground meats such as beef, chicken/turkey, or pork. Next make a filling that would taste great in whatever meat you feel like serving or better still use a variety.

Over the last couple of weeks I did some recipe development  on seven different ideas to simplify  making  ‘Stuffed Burgers’.   In my next few blogs I would like to share these recipes with you.  Here is the list:   > Moroccan            >  Apple-Zucchini Bacon            > Savory-Herb                               > Seafood/Avocado &  Spinach/Cheese Portobello Mushroom Burgers                                                  > Mushroom-Cheese Stuffed Ground Salmon    > Garden Grain Burgers    

The focus of my blog is very often on the ‘Taste of a Memory’  so I decided to start my stuffed burger series with a memory from Morocco.

In 2014, my husband Brion and I enjoyed a holiday travelling Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. I had never really paid to much attention to the interesting flavor of the Moroccan spices before that trip. Since then I have made numerous dishes that included them as we have come to really enjoy that flavor.

Key Moroccan spices include aniseed, black pepper, cayenne, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, paprika, parsley, saffron and turmeric.      

Morocco is like a tree whose roots lie in Africa but whose leaves breath in European air. This is a metaphor that has been used to describe a country that is profoundly traditional and strongly drawn to the modern. It is this double-sided, seemingly contradictory disposition that gives Morocco its cultural richness. The country is slightly larger in area than California. Unlike most other African countries, it produces all the food it needs to feed its people. Located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the country is rich in fish and seafood. Beef is not plentiful, so meals are usually built around lamb or poultry. Another Moroccan staple is couscous, made from fine grains of a wheat product called semolina. It is served many different ways with vegetables, meat or seafood.

In today’s  Moroccan Burgers, I used beef and turkey patties, stuffing them with a spicy fruit filling. Strange as it seems, Brion and I found mustard   to be a great condiment to use on them.  In keeping with the Moroccan theme, couscous makes a nice side dish however you choose to prepare it. Your comments are most welcome.                                       

Print Recipe

Stuffed Burgers

I used the same spice combination in the basic meat patty recipe for whatever meat I chose to use ( beef, chicken/turkey, pork), to keep it simple. These meat patties were then used to prepare the SAVORY-HERB, APPLE-ZUCCHINI BACON, & MOROCCAN burgers.

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Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Basic Meat Patties

• 454 grams ground meat of choice
• 1 tsp sage leaves, dried
• 1 tsp basil, dried
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Moroccan Spicy Fruit Filling

• 50 grams (1/3 cup) dates, pitted & chopped fine
• 40 grams ( 3 Tbsp) dried apricots, chopped fine
• 40 grams (3 Tbsp) raisins
• 1 small apple, peeled, cored & grated
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground
• 1/4 tsp mace
• 1/4 tsp ginger, ground
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne, (adjust these spices to your own taste or omit if you don't care for them

Easy Couscous Side Dish

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp EACH cumin & ground ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp liquid honey
• 1 1/2 cups prepared chicken broth
• 1 cup couscous, uncooked
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp parsley, dried or chopped fresh

Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Basic Meat Patties 454 grams ground meat of choice 1 tsp sage leaves, dried 1 tsp basil, dried 1 tsp onion powder 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Moroccan Spicy Fruit Filling 50 grams (1/3 cup) dates, pitted & chopped fine 40 grams ( 3 Tbsp) dried apricots, chopped fine 40 grams (3 Tbsp) raisins 1 small apple, peeled, cored & grated 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground 1/4 tsp mace 1/4 tsp ginger, ground 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne, (adjust these spices to your own taste or omit if you don't care for them Easy Couscous Side Dish 1 tsp olive oil 1/2 cup green onion, chopped 1/4 tsp EACH cumin & ground ginger 1 garlic clove, minced 1 1/2 tsp liquid honey 1 1/2 cups prepared chicken broth 1 cup couscous, uncooked 1 tsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp parsley, dried or chopped fresh

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Instructions

Basic Meat Patties

1. Place ground meat in a large bowl & combine with spices. Mix well. Shape into 8 - 1/4" thick patties. Place equal amounts of prepared filling in center of each of 4 patties. Top with remaining 4 patties & press gently to seal, enclosing filling completely.
2. Place burgers in a greased foil disposable pan. Preheat barbecue grill to a medium heat, place pan on grates & close lid. Turn burgers once during cooking time, (do not overcook as the meat is only 1/4" thick on each side).

   
3. Serve on a Ciabatta bun (or hamburger bun of your choice).

Moroccan Spicy Fruit Filling

1. Combine dates, apricots, raisins, apple & orange juice in a small bowl. Season with spices. Mix well; set aside to let marinate for a few hours. Divide between 4 burger patties & complete as above.

Couscous Side Dish

1. Heat 1/2 tsp olive oil in small saucepan. Add next 4 ingredients. Cook & stir until green onion is softened. Add honey. Heat & stir until onion is coated.
2. Add broth. Bring to a boil. Add couscous & 1 tsp olive oil. Stir. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes without lifting the lid. Fluff with fork; stirring in remaining ingredients adding a bit of butter if it seems to solid. Makes about 2 3/4 cups.

   

Recipe Notes

• I found it really made this whole burger idea easy if I made 908 grams (2lbs) of each of the 3 types of ground meat into patties. Portion the meat with a scoop into 56 grams (2 oz.) balls, flatten & place in a plastic container, layered singly between a non-stick waxed paper to freeze.
• When it comes time to use, take out the number of patties you require for the meal. Prepare the filling of choice, stuff & cook. What could be easier than that for a quick & easy great tasting meal!