turkey & chorizo burgers with guacamole

I used not to like burgers very much. Something about them made me feel sick every single time. But then I had one at a cookout a few summers ago that didn't make me sick. It was delicious. I learned after the fact that it was a buffalo burger. Then I tried a turkey burger at a restaurant in town, and I felt fine with that, too. Essentially, my stomach is a burger snob. You won't find me complaining about 'needing' to eat lamb burgers, ribeye burgers, buffalo burgers, and now, turkey & chorizo burgers.

I knew I wanted to make turkey burgers without the bun, using guacamole as my only real topping. What came together was 80% me playing around and 20% using the general ingredients you need to make turkey burgers work. I did the same with the guac. It turned out surprisingly simple and fast and mostly healthy. On the side I roasted cauliflower and the remainder of a bag of frozen fries in my freezer (okay, that part probably wasn't healthy... but drizzle olive oil on those suckers, switch to broil the last 5-7 minutes and sprinkle old bay & garlic powder, worth it!). The chorizo adds a ton of flavor, and I used it to inspire the spices I chose - cilantro, cumin, and hot pepper. I will be making these on the regular. I hadn't swallowed the first bite before they became my new favorite dinner.

This recipe is adaptable to the spices you like. I'm a judge-by-sight cook so the measurements are my best guesses. Enjoy!

turkey & chorizo burgers (makes 4 burgers)
1/2 pound ground turkey
2 links hot Mexican chorizo
1/8 cup (a thin layer) of bread crumbs (I used unseasoned)
1/2 egg (feel free to use the white only)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cilantro (fresh chopped or dried)
1/8 cup diced yellow onion
black pepper to your liking
1 minced garlic clove (or sprinkled garlic powder)
additional hot pepper or jalapeno if wanted

mix it all together by hand - breaking up the chorizo and incorporating it into the rest. mold 4 burgers. cook on a grill, grill pan on the stove, or stove-top skillet on medium-high heat until there is little give when you touch the center and the meat is cooked through. set the burgers on a paper towel lined plate to gather any unwanted grease from the chorizo.

guacamole (i made a small batch perfect for the 4 burgers) 
1 ripe avocado - halved and de-pitted
1/4 lime (cut in half, use half of a half)
a small handful diced red onion (maybe 2 teaspoons)
a small handful diced roma tomato, seeded
1/2 diced jalapeno (this is pretty spicy with the kind of pepper i used)
1 small clove garlic, minced or chopped finely
1/4 teaspoon or generous sprinkle of cilantro (diced fresh or dried)
sprinkle of cumin
sprinkle of black pepper

combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl, squeezing fresh lime juice over the top. using a fork, mash until the avocado is evenly mixed in with all the other ingredients. scoop a generous dollop on a turkey & chorizo burger. eat! 

ps - I stole borrowed Zan's grill pan two days ago and have already used it three times. Pretty sure my daydreams of us having a place together are 99% about his kitchenware.