Seriously Meaty Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 small eggplant, about 6-8 ounces
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 anchovy filet, mashed to a paste
• 1/4 teaspoon marmite
• 1 pound boneless, skinless turkey thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes.

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and move the rack to the upper-middle position. Coat the eggplant all over with olive oil, then season it with salt and pepper. Enclose it in aluminum foil and put it on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, turning once, until the eggplant is completely soft. Let it cool a bit, unwrap it, and scrape the flesh away from the skin. Chop the flesh into a fine purée; you should have about 4-6 ounces of purée.
2. In a small bowl, use the back of a fork to work the soy sauce, anchovy, and marmite together until the mixture is uniform, the marmite has dissolved, and the anchovy is smooth. Toss the meat with the anchovy, soy, and marmite mixture until it is evenly coated. If you are using pre-ground turkey, mix it in by hand until homogeneous. Put the feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die from the meat grinder in the freezer until thoroughly chilled. Meanwhile, spread the meat chunks on a rimmed baking sheet with space between the pieces, then freeze for 10 minutes, until the meat is firm but not frozen.
3. Run the meat through the grinder. Mix it with the eggplant purée, then shape the mixture into four patties. From here, use your favorite burger recipe to cook the patties, making sure they reach at least 145 degrees F.