hungrypoet

A week or so ago I posted an old picture of a salmon burger I’d made to my “Food” album on Facebook. It was a rare moment of sexy food photography, and responses were full of drool. So tonight, with a brand new grill to christen, I thought I’d make a go at recreating the recipe. It’s been nine months since I’ve grilled, so standing in our back yard with a bottle of Oberon and my huge grillin’ spatula felt really, really good.

Salmon Burgers:

• 3/4 pound salmon fillet
• tsp or more chili powder
• pinch cumin
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• 1-2 tbsp panko, bread crumbs, or crushed crackers, if needed.

Strawberry Mango Pico:

• 1 mango
• 4 strawberries
• 2-3 small cloves garlic
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• juice of half a lemon

Method:

Skin the salmon fillet, chop into a few smaller pieces, then pulse in a food processor until you get a ground-meat-like consistency. You can also chop the hell out of it with a knife, but the food processor works better if you have it. Transfer fish to a bowl then add chili powder, cumin, lemon juice, and cilantro. The mixture will be wetter than a beef burgers would, which is fine. I usually add a tablespoon or so panko (or just crushed saltines) to the mixture as a binder. Form into patties and let sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so.

While letting the patties rest, cut sweet potatoes into spears. Parboil for a few minutes, drain the water, toss with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and paprika, then bake in an oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. The parboiling will help the outside of the fries get nice and crisp while keeping the inside softer and al dente. Get the grill going too while you’re at it.

Grill the patties until done, anywhere from three to five minutes a side depending on thickness. You can also cook them in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Add a slice of cheese near the end if you want (provolone or jack cheeses work well).

For the pico, chop and mix all ingredients in a combination that suits your fancy. We’ve also made a similar pico with blueberries instead of strawberries, and with or without corn.

Drizzle the inside of the buns with olive oil, then sprinkle with basil, thyme, garlic powder, or whatever you like. Toast the buns oiled side down on the grill. Assemble the burger, topping the salmon patty with pico and adding mixed greens if you like, then dig in.

Tagged: burger, grilling, salmon