Turkey Burgers with Roasted Eggplant

Ingredients

• 4  boston lettuce leaves 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black divided freshly ground
• 8 ounce eggplant 
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh divided finely chopped
• 1  garlic clove minced
• 6 ounce hawaiian rolls toasted
• 0.8 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1 teaspoon juice of lemon fresh
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce 
• 0.3 teaspoon yeast extract spread 
• 4 teaspoons olive oil divided
• 8 slices tomatoes (1/4-inch-thick)
• 1 pound turkey breast tenderloins cut into 1-inch pieces

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• grill
• aluminum foil
• meat grinder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 40
2. Lightly coat eggplant with cooking spray; wrap eggplant in foil.
3. Place eggplant on a jelly-roll pan; bake at 400 for 45 minutes or until very tender, turning once.
4. Remove from foil; cool slightly.
5. Cut eggplant in half. Carefully scoop out pulp to measure 1 1/4 cups; discard skin.
6. Place pulp in a food processor; process until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup pureed pulp.
7. Combine remaining pulp, 1 tablespoon parsley, 2 teaspoons oil, juice, and garlic. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
8. To prepare grinder, place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die plate in freezer 30 minutes or until well chilled. Assemble the grinder just before grinding.
9. Arrange turkey pieces in a single layer on jelly-roll pan, leaving space between each piece. Freeze 15 minutes or until meat is firm but not frozen.
10. Combine meat and remaining 2 teaspoons oil in large bowl; toss to combine. Pass meat through meat grinder completely. Immediately pass meat through grinder a second time.
11. Combine reserved 1/4 cup eggplant puree, turkey, remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, soy sauce, and Marmite in a large bowl. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Press a nickel-sized indentation in the center of each patty. Cover and chill until ready to grill.
12. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
13. Lightly coat patties with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
14. Place patties on grill rack, and grill 4 minutes until well marked. Carefully turn patties over, and grill 3 minutes or until done.
15. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top each serving with 1 tablespoon eggplant mixture, 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and top half of bun. (Reserve remaining eggplant mixture for another use.)
16. Wine note: Turkey Burgers with Roasted Eggplant have a rich and meaty flavor, accentuated by the addition of Marmite. This savory, meaty character is often identifiable in the affordable and intriguing reds of France's Languedoc region, like Jean-Luc Colombo Syrah La Violette 2007 ($12), with chewy black fruit and notes of fresh herbs and smoked meat that pump up the flavor even more. --Jeffery Lindenmuth