Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Gravy and Chili Fries

Aired on: December 19, 2007

These burgers taste great on Kimmelweck rolls, unfortunately they're only made in the Buffalo-Rochester area. The kummelweck -- often alternatively spelled kimmelweck -- is basically a Kaiser roll topped with lots of pretzel salt and caraway seeds. If you find them, reserve the tops for burgers and save the bottoms to make fresh croutons or breadcrumbs later in the week.

Ingredients

4 big Idaho potatoes, cut into wedges
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds lean ground turkey breast
A palmful grill seasoning
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup (about a palmful) chives plus extra for garnish, chopped
1/4 cup (about a handful) parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1 cup blue cheese
3 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
3 stalks of celery, cut into sticks
4 Kimmelwick rolls or 4 thick slices rye bread, slightly toasted

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Place quartered potato wedges on a baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat. Transfer to oven and roast 40-45 minutes, until crispy and cooked through.

In a large bowl, mix the turkey, grill seasoning, hot sauce, chives, parsley, garlic, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Form 4 large patties.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with two tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns around the pan. Sauté the burgers about 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and cook it for about 1 minute. Whisk the milk into the roux and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the milk comes up to a bubble and has thickened, take the pan off the heat and stir the cheese into the sauce in a figure-eight motion.

To serve, place the top of the roll or a slice of rye bread on a plate, top with the burger and some chopped chives. Serve potato wedges, celery and carrot sticks and a cup of warm, blue cheese dip garnished with chopped chives for each person alongside.