Hot Sauce Adds Punch To Buffalo Turkey Burger

Discovered in a popular watering hole in Buffalo, N.Y., the Buffalo wing is a crisp-fried, disjointed chicken wing, coated with fiery hot sauce and served with blue cheese dip and celery sticks.

A coffee shop in my Brooklyn neighborhood serves something they call a “Buffalo Burger.” This chin-dripping, juicy, beef (not buffalo) burger is topped with a tangy blue cheese dressing and a five-alarm red hot sauce.

In my recipe for Buffalo Turkey Burgers, ground turkey patties are shaped into fat burgers around a crumbly slice of sharp blue cheese. Cooked through, but still juicy, the outside is coated with hot sauce. To serve, tuck the burger into a warm pita pocket and top with Crunchy Celery Slaw.

For dessert, I like Frozen Chocolate Yogurt With Sliced Bananas and an easy-to-make, but drop-dead delicious, Fudge Sauce.

Buffalo Turkey Burgers

1-1/4 pounds ground turkey

1/4 cup (about 4 crumbly slices, or 1 ounce) blue cheese

Tabasco or other hot red sauce

4 pita pockets

Crunchy Celery Slaw (recipe follows)

Divide turkey into 8 patties. Place 1 tablespoon blue cheese in center of 4 patties. Top with remaining 4 patties and seal edges together.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot enough to evaporate drop of water upon contact. Add burgers and cook over high heat until seared, about 3 minutes. Turn burgers over. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. (Burgers may also be grilled to your liking.)

Uncover burgers. Sprinkle with hot sauce to taste. Turn and sprinkle other side.

Meanwhile, heat pita pockets in microwave oven or toaster. Trim 1 side and open. Slip in burger. Top with serving of Crunchy Celery Slaw.

Yield: 4 servings.

Crunchy Celery Slaw

2 cups long thin diagonal slices celery

1/2 cup thin lengthwise slices red onion

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Dash salt

Combine celery, red onion, cider vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix well.

Yield: 4 servings.

Frozen Chocolate Yogurt With Bananas and Fudge Sauce

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 to 2 pints frozen chocolate yogurt

2 to 3 bananas, thinly sliced

Stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar and cream in small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring, over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Serve warm or at room temperature (makes 1 cup sauce).

To prepare in microwave, combine cocoa powder, brown sugar and cream in 4-cup microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH until boiling, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until sauce is very smooth. Set aside.

At serving time, scoop yogurt into 4 serving dishes. Top with sliced bananas, dividing evenly. Drizzle with warm fudge sauce.

Yield: 4 servings.