Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken, Apple and Sage Burgers With a Black Cherry BBQ Sauce and Creamy Honey Mashed Carrots

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
½ peeled sweet apple like Fuji or Honey Crisp (about ½ C) diced small
1 large egg
¼ C diced white onion
¼ C plain bread crumbs
1 T Greek yogurt (can substitute with 1 T light oil)
2 T fresh thyme leaves chopped
3 T fresh parsley chopped
1/8 T nutmeg
¼ t ground coriander powder
½ t ground sage
1 t garlic powder
Salt and white pepper to taste
8 generous slices of mozzarella cheese about 1 ½ inches by 1/8 inch
COOK IN 2 T light oil
2 T + 1 T unsalted butter

Sauce:

¼ C black cherry preserves
½ C spicy BBQ sauce (tomato based)

Carrot Mash:

6 medium carrots sliced and boiled until soft
3 T cream
3 T honey balsamic, like Olive Crate’s brand
½ t salt and ½ t white pepper

Direction:

• Mix together the chicken all the way down to the salt and pepper. Form into 8 patties that spread out a bit but not too thin. Place a square of cheese in the middle and form the meat mixture carefully over the cheese until sealed. Reform into patties that are about 1 ½ inches high.
• In a medium hot skillet with about 2 T of oil and 2 T of butter added, sear the chicken on both sides until browned. This takes about 3 minutes a side and you’ll have to lower the heat accordingly because chicken burns easily. Don’t worry about cooking the center. After they’ve seared place the whole sauté pan with the burgers in a 400 degree F oven for about 8 minutes or until cheese bubbles well.
• In another pan, heat the BBQ sauce and the cherry preserves until well combined and just hot. Don’t boil.
• Boil the carrots in water until done. Drain the water. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the carrots until they’re small chunks. No need to puree. Add 1 T butter, the cream and the honey balsamic. Whisk well to combine. To serve, can be put inside a food mould to serve as a circle, or just alongside chicken burgers.
• Garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme, a small wedge of Belgian endive drizzled with honey balsamic, and dribble all with the BBQ sauce.