Turkey and Zucchini Burgers with Green Onion & Cumin

I was having dinner with friends the other night and we were talking about Ottolenghi's cookbook Jerusalem. It was the perfect reminder to break it out again. The recipes are amazing! These burgers are perfect for summer - especially for my gardener friends (that's you Gary!) who are looking for ways to cook up all of their zucchini this time of year. I was hoping to throw these on the grill, but the mix is a little on the moist side, so I can see why he calls for pan frying. 

The best thing about these tasty little guys is the sauce. I didn't have sumac on hand so just used a little extra lemon juice/zest. It was great.

Turkey & Zucchini Burgers with Green Onion & Cumin

serves 4 to 6

For the burgers:

1 pound ground turkey

1 large zucchini, coarsely grated (to yield about 2 cups)

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 large egg

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 1/2 tablespoons sunflower oil, for searing (I used a LOT less)

For Sour Cream and Sumac Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

2/3 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sumac (I used a little more lemon juice instead)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

First, make the sour cream sauce by placing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside or chill until needed.

Preheat the oven to 425º. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs except the sunflower oil. Mix with your hands and then shape into about 18 small burgers, about 1 1/2 oz each.

Pour enough sunflower oil into a large frying pan to form a layer about 1/16 inch thick on the pan bottom. Heat over medium heat until hot, then sear the meatballs in batches on all sides. Cook each batch for about 4 minutes, adding oil as needed until golden brown.

Carefully transfer the seared meatballs to a making sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until just cooked through. Serve warm, or at room temperature, with the sauce spooned over or on the side.