Thai Turkey Sliders

I’ve made these twice, once for dinner for Steph and I and once for last week’s Top Chef Foodpocalypse.  The recipe is too good not to share with you, my loyal readers.

Thai Turkey Sliders with Peanut Sauce and Quick Pickles – serves 4
Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Sliders
1.5 lb 93% ground turkey¹
1 tbsp sambal oelek²
4 scallions, finely chopped
.25 c cilantro, chopped fine
1 tsp grated lime zest
.5 tsp kosher salt
Sauce
.25 c creamy peanut butter
4 tsp fish sauce³
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp light brown sugar
Pickles
.5 English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
.5 red onion, sliced thin
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp light brown sugar

8 slider buns (I recommend Pepperidge Farm)

Combine all slider ingredients in a bowl, mix until combined.  Form mixture into 8 .75″ thick patties.

Whisk all sauce ingredients together in second bowl until smooth.

Combine all pickle ingredients in a third bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat nonstick skillet to medium-high.  Film bottom of pan with oil, using paper towel to wipe out excess.  Griddle burgers until done, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.  Place burgers on buns, top with peanut sauce and pickles, and serve.

1 – The recipe calls for “regular” ground turkey, but all we have at my local supermarket is either 99% or 93% lean ground turkey.  I recommend the higher fat grind, as it will lead to a tastier and moister burger.  If you decide to go with 99% ground turkey (aka ground turkey breast), watch your cooking time very carefully to prevent drying out your sliders

2 – Sambal oelek is my favorite condiment, a super-spicy, pungent paste made from fresh hot chile peppers, and you should be able to get it in the international aisle of the supermarket.  If not, substitute in some habanero hot sauce or red pepper flakes.  Do NOT use Tabasco to substitute, it’s got its own specific flavor that will clash with the other flavors in the meal.

3 – I used to hate fish sauce, but I’ve learned to love it over the past year.  I can’t stress enough the need to keep trying it until you discover the sublime flavor it adds to Asian cuisine.  I use Tiparos brand, based on the Test Kitchen recommendation, and it is by far the best of all the other brands I’ve tried.  It’s worth tracking down in the international aisle, or in an Asian grocery.