Dinner Tonight: Turkey burgers break out of the beef patty rut

Burgers become an easy choice for weeknight dining, especially in the summer, when the grill can be stoked up. Turkey burgers are a good variation to get you out of the beef patty rut. One way to keep the turkey moist is to add a bit of milk or cream and only lightly mix them together. Overhandling the meat can mean tough burgers.

One of my favorite burger toppings is caramelized onions. Here, I've speeded up that cooking time by first stir-frying the onions in a skillet, then slow-cooking them for about 15 minutes. Adding a favorite barbecue sauce at the end gives the onions a sweet-smoky tang.

Tips: Don't like turkey? Try ground pork or a mixture of beef and pork. Save slicing time by buying already-chopped onions at the store.

• GRILLED TURKEY BURGERS WITH BARBECUED ONIONS

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Yield: Four servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 Spanish onions, halved, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons prepared barbecue sauce

11⁄4 pounds ground turkey (not lean)

1⁄4 cup each: milk, chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika or regular paprika

1⁄4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper

4 sesame seed buns

Procedure

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add onions; stir-fry onions two minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring often, until soft and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Stir in barbecue sauce; cook one minute. Remove from heat. Cover; keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, prepare a grill or grill pan for medium-high heat. Lightly mix turkey, milk, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl; form into four patties. Grill until just cooked through, turning once, about eight minutes. Place on bun bottoms; top each with onions and top buns.

Nutrition information per serving: 433 calories, 40 percent of calories from fat, 19g fat, 5g saturated fat, 104mg cholesterol, 32g carbohydrates, 33g protein, 568mg sodium, 3g fiber.