Grilled turkey burgers low in fat, high in flavor

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Cooks are increasingly turning to their grills for making meals. It’s an entertainingly flexible way of cooking, and experimenting with it produces countless variations of standard dishes.

The burger is one of those variables. Here’s a burger recipe with two characteristics that many people currently think very desirable: it’s low in fat, and it has bold seasoning – with a sweet undertone to help lift the flavor to lively heights.

Caribbean turkey burgers with honey pineapple chutney

1ripe fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch thick slices

1large onion, peeled and sliced 1/2 -inch thick

1/3cup honey

1/4cup red-wine vinegar

1tablespoon grated orange peel

1tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/4teaspoon allspice

1/4cup red bell pepper, minced

120-ounce package extra-lean ground turkey

1 1/2 teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning

4Hawaiian sweet sandwich rolls or potato hamburger buns, toasted

Butter-lettuce leaves

To make the chutney: Grill pineapple and onions on lightly oiled grill for about 5 minutes per side over medium-high heat or until lightly charred; remove and let cool slightly. Discard tough pineapple core. Finely chop pineapple and onion and place in a medium saucepan with honey, vinegar, orange peel, ginger and allspice; stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook for 10 minutes more; let cool.

In a medium bowl, stir together the ground turkey, 1/2 cup pineapple chutney, jerk seasoning and pepper. Shape into 4 large flat patties. Grill over medium coals for 5 to 8 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve on toasted buns lined with lettuce leaves. Place a heaping spoonful of chutney on top of each burger.