Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Salmon Goodness




So I made this meal a few weekends ago and it turned out really well. It took some time and planning but it was certainly worth it in the end. Each piece is easy to assemble and most can be made ahead of time if desired. Its a wonderful use of medium grade salmon (such as the Alaskan sockeye available frozen at Trader Joe's). Enjoy for a special, but laid back, occasion.

Asian Style Salmon burgers with Wasabi Mayonnaise, Pickled Cucumbers and Sesame Soy Dressing
Pickled Cucumbers
1 large cucumber
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt to taste
Slice cucumber into very thin slices. In a bowl toss cucumber with vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Wasabi Ginger Mayonnaise
1/4 cup light canola mayonnaise
2 tsp wasabi (to taste)
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste
In a small bowl whisk together. Cover and refrigerate.
Sesame Soy Dressing
1/2 small red pepper, sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup sesame oil
1 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
In a bowl whisk together soy sauce, oil, garlic and ginger. Place red pepper slices in sauce and let marinate for 1-2 hours.
Salmon Burgers
1 pound salmon fillet, skin discarded and fish cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup panko style bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, minced
1/2 small red pepper, minced
4 Ciabatta Rolls
In a bowl mash the salmon cubes with a fork into a paste. Add egg, soy sauce, and garlic until combined well. Add bread crumbs, scallions and red pepper. Stir mixture to combine and if too wet add additional bread crumbs. Form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.
In a large non-stick skillet cook patties until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Cover and cook over moderate heat until just cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Assemble each burger with a healthy dose of Wasabi Ginger Mayonnaise, a few Pickled Cucumbers, and a few slices of the marinated red peppers. Serve with salad greens drizzled with Seasame Soy dressing.

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