Name: Turkey and courgette burgers with spring onion and cumin
Ingredients: 500g minced turkey; 1 large courgette, coarsely grated (about 200g in total); 40g spring onions, thinly sliced; 1 medium free-range egg; 2 tbsp chopped mint; 2 tbsp chopped coriander; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp course ground black pepper; ½ tsp cayenne; about 100ml of sunflower oil for searing; 100g soured cream; 150g greek yoghurt; 1 tsp grated lemon zest; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 small garlic clove, crushed; 1½ tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp sumac; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper

Turkey and courgette burgers with spring onion and cumin

Main Gluten free

Serves 4-6, makes about 18 burgers

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The creamy sumac sauce served with these burgers is fantastically sharp and will go well with most non-red meats (chicken sofrito, for example) and also with grilled vegetables and fritters. You can make it in advance, or double the quantity, and keep it refrigerated. After a day the flavours will mellow so you may want to reinvigorate it by adding extra sumac and lemon juice. The burgers are very portable. You can have them as a snack from the fridge and they are also ideal for taking over to friends or in a lunchbox for work.

Ingredients

500g	minced turkey
1	large courgette, coarsely grated (about 200g in total)
40g	spring onions, thinly sliced
1	medium free-range egg
2 tbsp	chopped mint
2 tbsp	chopped coriander
2	garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp	ground cumin
1 tsp	salt
½ tsp	course ground black pepper
½ tsp	cayenne
about 100ml	of sunflower oil for searing
Soured cream & sumac sauce:
100g	soured cream
150g	greek yoghurt
1 tsp	grated lemon zest
1 tbsp	lemon juice
1	small garlic clove, crushed
1½ tbsp	olive oil
1 tbsp	sumac
½ tsp	salt
¼ tsp	black pepper

Method

First make the soured cream sauce by placing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside or chill until needed.
Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC Fan/Gas Mark 7. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs, bar the sunflower oil. Once evenly mixed, shape into burgers, about 45g each, making about 18.
Pour enough sunflower oil into a large frying pan so you get a thin layer at the bottom, about 2mm thick. Heat up well and sear the meatballs in batches on medium heat from all sides. Cook them for about 4 minutes, adding oil as needed, until golden brown.
Carefully transfer the seared meatballs into an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and place in the oven 5-7 minutes, or until just cooked through. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the sauce on the side.