Circle B Kitchen
A fun variation of this burger might have you swapping out the pesto sauce for a green goddess dressing and adding a couple slices of avocado. You might swap out the mozzarella cheese for either feta or blue cheese. Be creative!
Serves 4
4 hamburger Buns
Mayonnaise
Salmon Patties (purchased, or see recipe below)
Sliced Fresh Mozzarella cheese
Basil pesto (store-bought or see recipe below)
Lightly toast the hamburger bun, add a dab of mayo and slather with pesto. Add the salmon patty and top with some mozarella cheese. Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. Place the other half of the bun on top and enjoy!!
Salmon Patties
Adapted from Mark Bitten
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless salmon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 small shallots, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1. Cut the salmon into large pieces, and combine 1/4 of the pieces with the mustard in a food processor. Process until the mixture becomes pasty, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the shallots near the end so they are also finely chopped.
2. Add the remaining salmon pieces along with half the parsley, and pulse until the larger pieces are somewhat combined with the mixture, making sure not to over-process. 1/4-inch pieces of salmon should remain; you don't want a complete salmon puree.
3. Turn out the mixture into a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs by hand. Season with a healthy pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper, and shape into four patties.
4. Heat butter or oil in a large (12-inch) skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is very hot, carefully place the patties inside and cook 2-3 minutes per side, turning once.
Basil Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I use less)
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the lemon juice and then the oil slowly (you may not need all the oil) and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Add in the grated Parmesan cheese, pulse a few times to combine and season with salt and pepper.