Poultry Patties with Poblano Peppers and Polenta

Happy three day weekend everyone! (As for those who don't have a three day weekend, well, sorry I rubbed it in...)

The sun is out in the Northwest! Which is rare and exciting. Everyone seems to be walking with a bounce in their step and a voluntary smile on their face. The mood is more relaxed and carefree. The smell of freshly cut grass and barbecue is in the air, and all the wonderful sounds of summer can be heard: people laughing as they relax in their yards, kids playing out doors, lawn mowers, birds chirping... and, of course, kids lighting off fireworks at all hours of the night and early morning, starting June 27th. (That one I could do without.)
This is the perfect weekend to avoid making big messes in the kitchen, or even spending much time in the kitchen at all. So, here is a recipe that is twist on the classic burger, and is cooked completely outdoors. Unfortunately, the day I decided to make it was overcast, so I ended up cooking on my stove-top grill. But today (and supposedly the next few) will provide the perfect weather to whip this one up on your outdoor grill. Now, who's excited to grab a spatula and start flippin' some burgers?

Poultry Patties with Poblano Peppers and Polenta
serves 4
1 1/2 cups polenta, or yellow corn meal
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
a good amount of freshly ground pepper
cooking spray
olive oil
To make polenta (from Williams-Sonoma "Essentials of Grilling"): Combine polenta, water and salt in a deep sauce pan, whisk together. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring often until polenta thickens and pulls away from sides of pan. (This was about 20 min for me.) Remove from heat and season with good amount of pepper. Then pour into an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. The recipe says to refrigerate 24 hours, I did about 8 and it was fine.
To grill polenta: Turn polenta out of pan onto a flat surface and cut into 4 squares. Brush both sides of each square lightly with olive oil and grill about 5 minutes each side on medium-high heat

For burgers:
about 3/4 lb ground turkey
1/2 white or red onion, chopped (use about 1/4 cup if you don't love onions as much as I do)
1 slice bread, finely crumbled or pulsed to small crumbs in food processor
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch red pepper flakes
about 10 drops Tabasco
1 egg, lightly beaten
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and use your hands to form 4 patties. Grill on the stove-top or barbecue for about 8 minutes each side over medium-high heat, or until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees.

Toppings:
2 poblano pepper

4 slices cheddar cheese (optional)
1 tomato, cut into thick slices
1/2 red onion, cut into thin slices
salsa, for serving
Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Place peppers on a sheet o foil over medium-high heat, and grill about 20 minutes, or until the skin becomes black and blistery. At this point, wrap the foil around the peppers and let them sit about 20 more minutes, off the grill. Unwrap and remove skins from peppers. Discard the skins.

To assemble burgers: place one half pepper on each polenta square. Top with burger, cheese (if desired), tomato, onions, and salsa. Enjoy.