Jerky Turkey Burgers with Papaya Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 pound ground turkey breast, the average weight of 1 package
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1-inch ginger root, grated
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, a few sprigs, leaves stripped and chopped
• 1 teaspoon allspice, eyeball the amount
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• Coarse salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil, for drizzling
• 1 ripe lime, juiced
• 4 bib or green leaf lettuce leaves
• 4 crusty plain or cornmeal dusted Kaiser rolls, split

Papaya Salsa:

• 1 large, ripe papaya, seeded, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, a palm full of leafy tops, finely chopped
• 1 navel orange, juiced
• Coarse salt

Directions

Preheat a large nonstick skillet, indoor grill pan or tabletop grill to medium high heat. Combine the turkey, garlic, scallions, ginger, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Form mixture into 4 large patties no more than 1-inch thick. Drizzle the patties with a touch of oil. Place patties in a hot pan or on a hot grill and cook 6 minutes on each side. Squeeze the juice of 1 ripe lime over the patties before removing them from the heat. Place the cooked patties on bun bottoms and top with lettuce leaves.

Combine the papaya, red bell pepper, red onion, serrano or jalapeno, cilantro and orange juice in a bowl. Season salsa with salt, to your taste. Pile salsa on top of the lettuce resting on cooked patties and add bun tops to the burgers. Serve with Chili Lime Avocados and pineapple wedges.