Salmon Burgers with Tangy Slaw
I thought I'd made salmon every way you can make it, until now. The tangy slaw, made with fennel and avocado, adds another layer of flavor that goes surprisingly well with salmon and other seafood.
I thought I'd made salmon every way you can make it, until now. The tangy slaw, made with fennel and avocado, adds another layer of flavor that goes surprisingly well with salmon and other seafood.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- slaw:
- 3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
- 1-1/2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb
- 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 2 medium ripe avocados peeled and cubed
- honey mustard:
- salmon burgers:
- 1 pound skinless salmon fillets cut into 1-inch pieces, divided
- 2 tablespoons grated lime peel
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 4 hamburger buns split
- Carbohydrate 41.9013338300135 g
- Cholesterol 60.6470081 mg
- Fat 21.7401681143212 g
- Fiber 8.41801204149679 g
- Protein 30.5967391915215 g
- Saturated Fat 3.38366827448013 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (320g)
- Sodium 490.041226722964 mg
- Sugar 33.4833217885167 g
- Trans Fat 1.94221958390743 g
- Calories 472 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the first eight ingredients in a large bowl; toss to combine. In a small bowl, gently toss avocados with lime juice; add to cabbage mixture. Refrigerate until serving. In a small bowl, mix honey mustard ingredients.
- For burgers, place a fourth of the salmon in a food processor. Add lime peel and mustard; process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Place remaining salmon in food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped and add to puree. Fold in shallot, cilantro, soy sauce, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Shape into four 1/2-in.-thick patties.
- Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, rub on grill rack to coat lightly. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145degrees.
- Serve on buns with honey mustard; top each with 1/2 cup slaw. Serve remaining slaw on the side.
How do you keep salmon patties from turning to mush in the food processor or sticking to the grill grates? Achieving a cohesive patty without breaking down all the protein strands into a pasty paste requires a specific mechanical approach. By splitting the fish into two distinct textures—processing a portion completely smooth to act as a binder, and coarsely pulsing the remainder—the burger holds its shape during cooking while retaining distinct flakes of fish.
Mastering Texture and Heat Control
Grinding raw salmon completely smooth creates a natural protein network that eliminates the need for breadcrumbs or eggs. When pulsing the remaining three-quarters of the fish, stop as soon as the pieces resemble coarse chop. Over-processing at this stage releases too much moisture, which ruins the structural integrity on the heat source. Before the patties touch metal, oil the grill grates thoroughly using a high smoke point oil on a paper towel. Cook the patties for four to five minutes per side, monitoring until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Swapping the fresh lime juice for bottled citrus introduces excess acidity and metallic flavor notes; use fresh fruit for the slaw dressing.
- Replacing the fresh shallot with dry onion powder will alter the moisture balance, making the raw patty mixture excessively wet or prone to crumbling.
- Substituting regular cabbage with napa cabbage changes the crunch factor significantly, releasing water much faster once tossed with salt.
