Juicy turkey burgers

 In the "eat healthy, be healthy" spirit of the new year, I opted to make turkey burgers rather than beef burgers for my very first home-cooked meal of 2011. It turned out quite well; G pronounced it to be the best turkey burgers he's ever eaten. I'm not sure how often he's chosen turkey burgers over the regular kind, but I'll take that as the compliment it was meant to be.

I started with the Cook's Illustrated recipe for Quicker Turkey Burgers, which calls for store-bought lean ground turkey combined with a bit of ricotta for moisture, and modified it to add a little more flavor. Here's my version:

Jieun's smoky-spicy turkey burgers
Serves 2.

1/2 lb 93% lean ground turkey
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C ricotta cheese
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (I used smoky dried chipotle pepper flakes)

Combine all ingredients and divide into two portions. Lightly toss mixture from one hand to the other to form a ball, then lightly flatten into a 1-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot, 3-4 minutes. Swirl about 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.

Add turkey burger patties and cook, without moving, until bottom side is dark brown and crusted, 3-4 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned but not yet crusted. Reduce heat to low, position cover over the pan, slightly ajar to allow steam to escape, and continue to cook an additional 8-10 minutes, flipping burger patties occasionally to promote even, deep browning. Cook until thermometer inserted into the center of the patty through the side registers 160 degrees.

Serve with toppings of choice. (I served with redleaf lettuce, tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapenos, and avocado.)