In The Mood for Grilling!
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Grilled Avocado
That was a really long week. Now it’s time for some good grilling!
Grilling avocado works best with slightly under ripe avocados. Quarter, remove pit, brush with a little avocado oil, and sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside until ready to grill. Place directly on the grill grates to get beautiful grilling marks. They only take a few minutes on the grill and can easily burn, so watch these carefully. You just want to heat them through and soften them a bit.
Grilled Asparagus
Asparagus on the grill is amazing and so simple. Rinse and trim the stalks. Toss with a little avocado oil, season to taste with a little salt. Grill in a disposable aluminum pan on medium-low heat. They’ll get a nice char, but be careful to not overcook and they’ll retain a nice, bright green color. I will usually also season with a little lemon juice and lemon zest before grilling, and then toss with a little good, freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, but didn’t have any on hand for this batch.
Grill-Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Fresh Herbs
Wash and dry the potatoes, cut into even-sized chunks. Drizzle with a bit of avocado oil; season to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper, and chopped fresh herbs. Grill in a disposable aluminum pan until tender. You will want to move these around now and then to make sure they’re not sticking to the pan. You can make them crispy by turning the heat up a bit at the end to get a nice crust on them. These will take longer to cook than the asparagus and avocado, but cooking time will depend on the size of the chunks.
Turkey Burgers
Mix together 1 pound of ground turkey, fresh herbs, 1 whole egg, a handful or two of plain breadcrumbs, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and a grind or two of black pepper. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Shape into patties. Grill on medium-low heat until the internal temperature reaches 165-degrees. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the patties, but plan for about 15 minutes on the grill.
So, to plan this meal, here’s your timeline:
- Prepare the burger mixture. Refrigerate at least one hour. Remember to always wash your hands well with hot, soapy water after handling raw poultry, meat, or fish.
- Prepare the potatoes, the asparagus, then the avocado. Set aside until ready to grill.
- Fire up the grill and give it time to heat up. Actual time to reach temperature will depend on your grill.
- Remove the burger mixture from the refrigerator, shape the patties and place on a platter and set aside. If you are not going to cook them within a few minutes, cover them and return to the refrigerator.
- Wash your hands!
- Place the pan of potatoes on the grill. For even cooking, make sure the chunks are in a single layer.
- Place the burgers on the grill. Turn one time and one time only! Depending on your grill and grill grates, you’ll probably want to spray or wipe a little oil on the grates to help prevent burning. If you use ground skinless turkey breast (makes the best, healthiest turkey burger!), these are very lean and can stick. It’s worth it, though.
- Check to make sure the potatoes aren’t sticking to the pan – turn them in the pan with a flat metal spatula.
- When the burgers are done (internal temperature 165-degrees), remove from the grill. Place on a clean plate and cover with foil.
- Grill the asparagus and avocado. Be sure to watch the avocado carefully. Place flesh side down first and turn when you have achieved lovely grill marks. Then grill briefly on the skin side. Again, cooking time will vary based on how firm the avocado is.
You can serve the burgers as is, or with the full works – bun, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, condiments of your choice. These burgers, when seasoned well, are wonderful on their own, too, without all the fixings.
This makes enough for four servings. If you have leftovers, these all keep well refrigerated for a day or two. If you have leftover potatoes, asparagus, and avocado, think about how amazing these will be in a fritatta … but that’s another post.
Enjoy!