Salmon Burgers and Homemade Tartar Sauce

I swear I am not totally burger obsessed! First the black bean burgers and now these. I wasn’t even paying attention and bought an 8 back of burger buns! Why can’t you buy just 2 or 3?

Actually, I’m glad the lifeless buns were sitting on my kitchen counter. They inspired me to use the salmon I had in my freezer and make these burgers. I paired them with my award winning tartar sauce – it really did win an award in my culinary school class! While exploring the foods of Great Britain, I made fish and chips and this tartar sauce! I have a medal and everything!

I have to share a secret with you. I committed a crime to make these burgers. I did not have any lemons so I hiked up the hill and stole two from my neighbor’s backyard tree! I hope they don’t mind, they had about a hundred more on the tree! I desperately needed the bright, citrus flavors for these burgers and tartar sauce! I’ll make them cookies and leave a note thanking them!

Enjoy these burgers and don’t steal…it’s wrong!

Salmon Burgers

Ingredients:

For the Burgers

• 2 garlic cloves
• Handful of parsley
• 1 1/2 pounds salmon, bones and skin removed, cut into large pieces
• Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, such as Panko
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
• Spinach leaves

For the Tartar Sauce

• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse the garlic and parsley until minced. Add the salmon and pulse a few times. Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, bread crumbs, and red pepper flakes. Grind until the mixture forms a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper. Form into four equal patties.
2.  Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the salmon patties and cook until brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip each patty over and brown on the other side and cook until cooked through, about another 3 minutes.
3. For the tartar sauce, whisk all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the patties on toasted hamburger buns with tartar sauce, cucumbers slices, and spinach leaves.

Serves 4