Ethan's home for a few days and of course I'm only too happy to prepare whatever he wants. When he asked for Salmon Burgers I was pretty excited because it's been on my list of things to make. While the actual burger is certainly the star of the show I wanted to make sure the supporting cast was equally delicious. So I came up with the tastiest- moist burgers and topped them with homemade pickled red onions and borrowed some of my already made kale-mint pesto and a made a perfect mayo for the salmon. We ended up with the most delicious and moist salmon burger.
Ingredients for Salmon Burgers with Kale-Mint Pesto Mayo
and Pickled Red Onions :
Burgers:
1 1/2 pounds salmon, skin removed
1/3 cup finely chopped bell pepper, any color except for green
3 tablespoons plain panko
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
4 Brioche Buns
Serve with Kale-Mint Pesto Mayo, Pickled Red Onions, Lettuce and Tomatoes
Kale-Mint Pesto Mayo:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons of Kale-Mint Pesto, click HERE for the recipe
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Red Pickled Onions:
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
3 cups of water
4 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
Time-Saving Tips: The Salmon Burgers can and should be prepared a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap. They are easier to cook when cold. If you don't have any Kale-Mint Pesto and don't have the time to prepare store-bought pesto can be substituted. Finally, the onions can be made a day in advance.
Let's see what we need.
We're ready to cook.
Slice the onions and set aside. Simmer the water, vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the onions and continue cooking for about 3-4 minutes; drain and set aside.
Combine the mayo ingredients and set aside.
Cut the salmon in half. Cut 1 portion into pieces about 1/4" in size. Cut the 2nd portion in cubes and pulse a few times until processed.
Combine the salmon and the rest of the burger ingredients. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into burgers. Use the bun as a guide to determine the size of the burger. Place the burgers on a parchment-lined surface, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about an hour.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the burgers and cook over medium-high heat until the bottom is light brown and flip over. Continue cooking another couple of minutes until the bottom is light brown.
I like to toast the buns in a dry nonstick pan, cut side down.
Now we're ready to build our burger. Place a piece of lettuce on the bottom half of each bun, followed by a slice of tomato; season with salt and pepper. Then place a burger on top, a dollop of mayo, and then some of the onions.
They're ready! As you can see by the picture Ethan couldn't wait to dig in. He loved them. These Salmon Burgers are absolutely delicious. They're incredibly juicy and flavorful. The toppings are so good and really add that something special. They're easy to prepare and most of the prep can be done in advance. If you love salmon, this one's for you!
Enjoy!