#1,284: Italian-Style Turkey Burger with Bacon

You will notice that this recipe says to serve on ciabatta rolls and that is obviously not pictured in the photo above.  I ate this w/out a bun and I didn't want to waste a ciabatta roll, so I just grabbed a regular hamburger bun for the photo instead.

This recipe was not supposed to be made with ground turkey, so feel free to make this with ground beef/sirloin instead.  I however, pretty much exclusively eat ground turkey so I just substituted it out.  I LOVED this burger.  LOVED it.  I've been dreaming about it and I need to get back to the grocery store so I have more bacon to make this again.  It's really good.  It was supposed to have roasted tomatoes on top, which I'm sure would make this even better, but I decided not to make them this time.  If you check the original recipe, you can find the ingredients/steps needed to make that.

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 very thin slices prosciutto (I used organic bacon instead)
2 large shallots, finely diced (about 2/3 cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 pounds freshly ground beef chuck (I used ground turkey)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten to blend
4 3 1/2-inch squares ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
8 romaine lettuce leaves

FOR THE GOURMET KETCHUP:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

To prepare the burgers: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large sauté pan over medium heat. Working in batches, lay the prosciutto slices in the pan and cook over medium heat until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the crisped prosciutto to a paper towel-lined plate.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Gently mix the cooled sautéed shallots and garlic with the ground beef, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Mix in the egg. Divide the beef mixture into 4 equal mounds. Shape each mound into a patty.

Preheat a grill pan or prepare a barbecue for medium-high heat. Brush the cut sides of the ciabatta with butter. Grill the ciabatta, cut side down, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Place the ciabatta on a plate and cover to keep warm.

Grill the patties until brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the patties over. Top the patties with the roasted tomatoes and then with the cheese. Continue to grill until the patties are no longer pink in the center.

Meanwhile, to make the gourmet ketchup: Whisk the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chives, and tarragon in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil to blend well. Set the sauce aside.

To serve: Place the lettuce over the grilled ciabatta bottoms. Set the patties on the lettuce. Spoon some gourmet ketchup over the burgers. Top with the crisped prosciutto. Cover with the ciabatta tops. Serve the remaining gourmet ketchup alongside.