Salmon Burgers with Aioli
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 6-8 minutes Servings: 4
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times If you finely grind part of the salmon, it will bind the rest, which can be coarsely chopped to retain its moisture during cooking. Some bread crumbs keep the burger from becoming as densely packed as (bad) meatloaf. This approach, along with a few simple seasonings, produce delicious burgers in not much more time than it takes to make one from ground chuck. The only real trick is to avoid overcooking. Whether you sauté, broil or grill this burger, it's best when the center remains the color of … salmon. Two or three minutes a side usually does the trick.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless salmon 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons horseradish 2 shallots, peeled and cut into chunks Or 4 scallions trimmed and thinly sliced ½ cup panko bread crumbs 1 tablespoon capers, drained Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil Lemon wedges Tabasco sauce ¼ mayonnaise ¼ ounce chives Juice of one lemon
Directions
Cut the salmon into large chunks, and put about a quarter of it into the container of a food processor, along with the mustard and horseradish. Turn the machine on, and let it run – stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary — until the mixture becomes pasty. Add the shallots or scallions and the remaining salmon, and pulse the machine on and off until the fish is chopped and well combined with the puree. No piece should be larger than a quarter inch or so; be careful not make the mixture too fine. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, and by hand, stir in the bread crumbs, capers and some salt and pepper. Shape into four burgers. (You can cover and refrigerate the burgers for a few hours at this point.) Place the butter or oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, cook the burgers for 2 to 3 minutes a side, turning once. Alternatively, you can grill them: let them firm up on the first side, grilling about 4 minutes, before turning over and finishing for just another minute or two. To check for doneness, make a small cut and peek inside. Be careful not to overcook. Serve on a bed of greens or on buns or by themselves, with lemon wedges and Tabasco or Aioli or any dressing you like. For the Aioli: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, chives and juice of 1 lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.