CALIFORNIA TURKEY BURGER WITH SPICY APRICOT GLAZED, AVOCADOS, BACON and GOAT CHEESE

This is my spin on a traditional California Turkey Club without the mayo.Instead I use apricots, sunflower seeds and avocados from California. The farms of California produce so many fantastic ingredients, I just had to make a burger to represent that State. Enjoy

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Spicy Apricot Glazed:

18 ounces Apricot preserves jam, room temperature
2 Tablespoons Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped
1 teaspoon Chili Garlic sauce
1 Jalapeno deseeded and finely chopped

12 Slices Smoked Bacon

Patties

1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup shallots
2 1/4 pounds ground Turkey, preferably dark meat
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds, (salted, no shell)
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

8 oz Goat cheese, divided equal for 6 servings

6 King Hawaiian buns, split

1 bunch of watercress

1 large Haas avocado, 12 slices

Instructions:

Directions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Place a large iron skillet on the rack.

To make the Spicy Apricot Glaze, whisk together the Apricot preserves, rice vinegar, ginger, chili garlic sauce, jalapeno in a medium size bowl. Set aside at room temperature.

To cook the bacon, Place the bacon in the preheated iron skillet. Cook the bacon until crisp about 5 to 7 minutes a side. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towels. Cover the bacon with aluminum foil and keep warm. Remove the skillet from the grill.

To prepare the patties, In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar and shallots. Next, gently combine the Turkey, apricots, sunflower seeds, sage, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper into the same bowl with the soy-brown sugar mixture. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Gently mix together using a large spoon. Form into 6 patties and refrigerate until ready to grill.

Brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the grill, cover and cook for 5
minutes. Turn the patties and brush with the Spicy Apricot Glaze, cover and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. During the last 2 to 3 minutes of grilling the patties, add the equal divided Goat cheese on top of each patty. During the same time, brush the buns with olive oil and place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack and toast lightly to golden brown.

To assemble the burger, slather the bottom toasted side of the buns with some of the Spicy Apricot Glaze. Place patties on each bottom buns. On top of each patty place 2 slices of bacon, a few sprigs of watercress, 2 slices of avocados, and a dollop of the Spicy Apricot Glaze in that order. Add the toasted bun top with wooden skewers and serve immediately.

Makes 6 burgers.