Turkey Burger With Lemon Mayonnaise

A DC chef (Spike from Season 4 of Top Chef) made these burgers for the White House 2009 Easter Egg Roll and calls it the "Michelle Melt" at his restaurant. I found the recipe in Food and Wine magazine. These burgers were a total hit when I brought them to a party. They came out rather spicy! If you are not a fan of caramelized onions on your burgers, skip the first step.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 5
• Yields: 5 burgers

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons canola oil
• 1  onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped celery
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped granny smith apple
• 2  scallions, thinly sliced
• 1  small  canned chipotle pepper, in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  lean  ground turkey breast
• 1  tablespoon  minced flat-leaf parsley
• 2  teaspoons  finely grated lemon zest
•  kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1⁄3 cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  chopped thyme
• 5  whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
• 5  iceberg lettuce leaves
• 5  tomatoes, slices

Directions

1. In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Add the sliced onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, about 25 minutes. Transfer the onion to a bowl. Wipe out the skillet.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in the skillet. Add the celery, apple and scallions and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the chipotle; let cool. Stir in the turkey, parsley, 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Shape the mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.
3. In the skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the burgers and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until no longer pink inside, 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, the lemon juice and chopped thyme and season with salt and pepper. Spread the lemon mayonnaise on the top halves of the buns; set the burgers on the bottom halves and top with the caramelized onions, lettuce and tomato. Close the burgers and serve.