It's not just Christmas that comes but once a year, it’s the turkey, too — or so it seems.

Breeding patterns and tradition decree that turkeys pop up in time for the Christmas table, then disappear, barring a week of leftovers, for another year.

In truth, turkeys are available all year round, but some strange form of domestic blindness means that we walk straight past them until December, when 87 per cent of people in the UK roast the bird.

In America, where turkey meat seems to be almost as common as chicken meat, it is used in a multitude of ways. There are turkey steaks and fillets, meat for stews, pies and stir-fries, escalopes for pan-frying, drumsticks, minced meat for sausages, meat loaves and burgers.

As if that were not enough, now turkey isn’t just turkey but Thai green turkey curry, turkey schnitzel, turkey and green olive pie, turkey and sweetcorn soup, smoked turkey and goat’s cheese salad, and turkey and mangetout stir-fry.

This pre-Christmas recipe calls for minced fresh turkey meat, preferably from a free-range, organic bird.

A turkey burger is sweeter and lighter than a beefburger and can be teamed with all or any of your favourite burger toppings, from melted cheese to mustard or dill pickles.

So-called “hamburger buns” are rubbish, so try lightly toasted breakfast muffins or a good ciabatta roll instead, and serve with a cranberry sauce.

You might like to make it a new pre-Christmas tradition, thereby extending the annual turkey season by a whole two weeks.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min

500g minced fresh turkey
2 slices white bread
100ml milk
1 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
1 tbsp chives, finely snipped
1 small egg
Sea salt and pepper
1tbsp olive oil
4 breakfast muffins or ciabatta
1 ripe avocado, peeled
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp cranberry sauce

METHOD

Soak the bread in the milk, squeeze dry and finely chop.

In a bowl, combine the turkey meat with the bread, thyme, chives, salt and pepper. Add the egg and mix to a mulch with your hand.

Form the meat into four balls, then flatten the balls into four large patties. Brush the meat with the olive oil and grill or pan-fry on both sides until browned and sizzling.

Split the muffins or ciabatta and lightly toast or grill the insides only. Crush the avocado with the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and spread thickly on the bread. Place two onion rings on top, then the burger, then the cranberry sauce and remaining bread. Serve with a green salad.

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