When summer arrives and the weather gets unbearably hot and humid, I long for a trip to the Mediterranean.  Who could resist the gorgeous blue water, pristine beaches, and amazing architecture?  I conjure images of loose, flowy (read: cool) dresses, carefree spirits, and cooling breezes.  Then thoughts turn to food.  Who wants to heat up the kitchen when it's 100 degrees outside in the shade?  What better way to eat than to follow a Mediterranean-inspired diet?

The Mayo Clinic describes the Mediterranean diet as "a heart-healthy eating plan combining elements of Mediterranean-style cooking." It goes on to say that studies have shown that following this style of eating plan has been proven to lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.   The main components of the plan?  Eating fish and shellfish at least twice a week, consuming plentiful amounts of fruits and vegetables, using healthy fats such as olive oil and nuts (reasonable portions -- about a handful a day), very little red meat, red wine in moderation, and herbs and spices instead of salt for flavoring.  Also important -- daily exercise and eating while in the company of family or friends.  This sounds like a diet I might actually stick to!

This week's recipe comes from a desire to enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean while trapped in the Southeastern United States.  It was a delicious meal that I enjoyed with family and a glass of wine.  To that, I say, "Salut!"

Mediterranean-Inspired Turkey Burgers with Oven Fries and Cucumber Salad

For burgers: 

1 pound ground turkey

Greek seasoning to taste

1/2 small sweet onion, minced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

olive oil

 Dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

In a medium mixing bowl, combine turkey, onion, feta, a tablespoon or more of Greek seasoning (I used some from a little silk bag that my favorite aunt brought back from Santorini, but any store bought seasoning will do fine, as well), garlic, and a pinch of oregano.  If using ground turkey breast, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to ensure the meat doesn't dry out.  Regular ground turkey (which combines light and dark meat) may need just a splash of olive oil.  Combine gently, then form into four patties.  Make them a little thinner that you think you'll need, as they'll shrink up when cooking. 

Heat a large skillet to medium heat (or fire up the grill -- again, medium heat).  Spray skillet or grill rack to prevent sticking.  Cook the burgers until internal temperature reaches 170 (it took about 15 minutes total -- cook them slowly or the outsides will char).

To assemble burgers, lightly butter and toast four pita sandwich rounds (pictured are Arnold Multigrain Sandwich Thins) or English muffins.  Place one patty on each, and top with fresh baby spinach leaves, roasted red peppers, sliced tomatoes, caramelized red onion, and a little more feta cheese, if you must (I usually must). 

Serve with oven fries and cucumber salad.

Oven Fries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  If you have a baking stone, place in the oven while it's preheating.  Peel 2-3 baking potatoes and slice into planks, then turn and cut into julienne.  Toss potatoes with olive oil and greek seasoning, then spread in a single layer on the preheated stone (if you don't have a stone, liberally grease a cookie sheet with olive or canola oil and use that).  Cook about 20 minutes, depending on thickness of fries, turning every 5 minutes or so to ensure even crispness.

Cucumber Salad

Slice cucumbers (3-4 will feed 4 people with leftovers) crosswise into thin rounds.  Thinly slice a small sweet or red onion and add to cucumbers.  Toss to combine.  Add 2-3 large sprigs of fresh dill, chopped, 1 clove minced garlic,  and 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt.  Stir to combine.  May need to add more sour cream/yogurt, but start with 1/2 cup.  As you stir, the cucumbers will start to release juice to thin the dressing.  Salt to taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

(C) 2010, Lisa Kuebler

Photo credits: 1st three photos, wikipedia.com.  Last photo, Lisa Kuebler