Tandoori Turkey Escallop Burgers with Minted Yoghurt are my ‘ but it’s not a roast ‘ solution to the nightmare of overcooked turkey. Everyone worries that having got up a six o’clock to prepare the perfect festive lunch that their turkey roast will be dry. Don’t worry I have a then I have a fail safe turkey recipe. However, if you fancy a completely stress-free alternative turkey lunch and want to spend a lot more time with your friends and family read on.
Tandoori Turkey Burger have you gone mad?
I think most people will have tried Tandoori chicken, traditionally cooked in very hot clay ovens. In fact, dishes cooked this way have existed for thousands of years. The meat is flavoured and tenderised with a mix yogurt and tandoori masala spice mix. This also gives the meat a characteristic pink tinge and helps keep it from drying out during cooking. Marinating your turkey in the same way will guarantee a great tasting product that will not be dry.
Tandoori Turkey Escallop Burgers with minted yoghurt is one of my favourite Christmas recipes, it is turkey, just not as you know it, moist, terrifically tasty and equally good for a relaxed festive evening with a group of friends. The turkey can be prepared in advance, the brioche buns toasted, so all you need to do is cook the turkey burgers and the sweet potato fries in a conventional oven and assemble. You could even throw in a tray of pigs in blankets as a seasonal side.
Tandoori Turkey Escallop Burgers with Minted Yoghurt
Ingredients
- 500 gr free-range Turkey Breast trimmed of any visible fat, cut into 4 slices ( Ask your butcher to do this for you )
For the Tandoori style Marinade
- 200 gr Natural Yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Tandoori Curry Paste
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 Lemon
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika optional
- 1/2 Fine Sea Salt and ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
For the Minted Yoghurt
- 1 small tub of Natural Yoghurt
- 1 small bunch of Spring Onions washed, trimmed and very finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon on prepared Mint Sauce
- A good pinch of fine Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
To Serve
- 4 sliced Brioche Bread Rolls
- 1 Baby Gem Lettuce washed and thoroughly ( optional )
- 1 Ripe Plum Tomato thinly sliced ( optional )
- 2 tablespoons Mango Chutney optional
Instructions
- In a large glass bowl mix together, the ingredients for the Tandoori Turkey marinade then add the turkey escallops and make sure they are all covered with the marinade. Cover with cling-film and leave in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.
- Preheat your oven to 425 F / 220 C / Gas mark 7. Line a deep-sided baking tray with baking parchment and drizzle with the vegetable oil. Lay on the marinated turkey burgers and place in the oven and cook for twenty minutes.
- Carefully take out of the oven and using a small sharp knife slice into the middle of one escallop to check if it is cooked, if not place back in the oven for another five minutes.
- While the turkey is cooking prepare your minted yoghurt by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl and toast your Brioche bread rolls. Spread each roll with a little mango chutney and top with lettuce, tomato and a turkey burger. Spoon some yoghurt onto each burger and place on the other half of the Brioche roll. Served with some oven baked potato fries.
