As a card-carrying red meat lover, I’ve always poo-poo’ed turkey, the dieter’s go-to, out of principle. Turkey burgers are boring and dry, so beige in appearance, taste and connotation. If you were to meet a turkey burger at a party, it would most certainly bore you half to death with details of its latest juice cleanse routine while the bacon cheeseburger is doing shots and keg stands. It also doesn’t help that I tend to overcook my turkey burgers to satisfy my (somewhat selective) fear of salmonella.

Once in a while though, even this glutton needs something that’s a little… well, less likely to cause cardiac arrest. To satisfy these occasional bouts of health-consciousness, I set myself to the challenge of making turkey patties that don’t suck.

My Eureka moment came while flipping through Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s engrossing Jerusalem: a Cookbook: The secret, my friends, is zucchini.

The shredded zucchini provides these turkey patties with added moisture, keeping them juicy (and giving you a little more leeway withwat cooking). It’s also a good way to up the vegetable content of your meal to boot.

Since zucchinis contain so much moisture, it’s important to drain some of the water from the veg beforehand to prevent your patties from becoming waterlogged and mushy. I do this by mixing the shredded zucchini with a little bit of salt and letting it drain in a colander (or in a bowl lined with paper towels) for about ten minutes before use.

The patties can be served with buns and your favorite burger accoutrements, or with a side of your choice. I like to serve them alongside a simple green salad with a lemon, mustard and honey vinaigrette dressing. The salad provides a good textural contrast, while the dressing also serves as a light sauce for the patties as well.

Making use of summer’s most prodigious produce, these turkey patties are a light, flavorful and highly adaptable dish; in all, a healthy dinner that’s not at all spartan.

Ingredients

250g zucchini, shredded (1-2 zucchinis)

3 cloves garlic

1-2 fresh jalapeños

570g ground turkey

50g panko

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

2 tsp salt

Pinch of pepper

1 large egg

Put your shredded zucchini in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and stir to distribute. Let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and the jalapeños together by hand or in a food processor.

Combine the panko, spices, garlic and jalapeños in a large bowl. Squeeze your shredded zucchini lightly with your hands to get rid of more excess water, then add to the panko mix. Add the egg and ground turkey. Knead with your hands until combined.

Lightly coat your griddle with olive oil and preheat it to 350F (alternatively, use a skillet on medium high heat). Meanwhile, form a smaller test patty, and, once the griddle is hot enough, cook and taste for seasoning. Correct accordingly.

Once you’re happy with the seasoning, form the patties – I make mine about 2-3 inches in diameter and about an inch thick, using a small ice cream scoop to control the portion. Cook the patties until brown on the outside and completely cooked through – about 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately.