Chicken or Turkey Burgers with Caesar Pesto
- 1 cup packed dark leafy romaine leaves, stemmed and coarsely chopped, plus 4 leaves for topping
- 1 round teaspoon anchovy paste
- A generous handful grated Romano cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 large clove of garlic, grated or pasted
- Coarse black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken or turkey, white or dark meat, or a blend
- Salt and coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large clove garlic, grated or pasted
- 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander, half a palmful
- 1/2 tablespoon ground poultry seasoning
- 2 tablespoons EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 stick butter
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 4 ciabatta or other crusty rolls, split and toasted
- 1 cup Romano cheese, shredded
- Pepper
Preheat a broiler.
For pesto, combine all ingredients except EVOO in food processor. Add about 1/4 cup EVOO and pulse into thick sauce. Stream in a few extra tablespoons of EVOO, if necessary. Transfer pesto to serving bowl, reserve at room temperature.
For the burgers, mix meat with salt, pepper, Worcestershire, garlic, coriander, poultry seasoning. Form 4 patties. In a skillet, heat EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Cook patties 12 minutes total, turning once.
In a small saucepot, melt butter with garlic. Brush garlic butter over toasted buns and top with cheese and pepper. Broil until golden and cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes.
Serve patties on rolls slathered with pesto and top with lettuce leaf.