Clean Eating's Smoked Salmon Burgers

Last year I thought I had found my favorite salmon burger recipe.  I posted these gingery salmon burgers and truthfully stated they were so good that even salmon haters would love them (Nick, a salmon hater, actually ate and enjoyed the gingery salmon burgers).  Despite the fact that today's salmon burger is not salmon-hater-approved (Nick refused to eat one), I still feel fine stripping the award from the previous burger, and handing it over to this one; The Smoked Salmon Burger.  Oh wow. That's all I have to say.

Clean Eating's Smoked Salmon Burgers

Serves: 4

Modified from a recipe in the June 2013 edition of Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

10 oz. boneless, skinless wild salmon fillets, cut into chunks

3 oz. wild smoked salmon, cut into chunks

1 small yellow onion, grated **

3 cloves garlic, minced, divided **

1/2 cup whole-wheat panko bread crumbs **

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, divided

4 tsp. Dijon mustard, divided

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper, divided

Dash hot sauce **

1/2 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt

2 tsp. capers, drained

Cooking oil (canola, grapeseed, olive, etc.)

4 whole grain buns, split **

2 cups spinach

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced

Directions

1.  In a food processor, pulse together salmon, onion, 2 cloves garlic, panko, 1 Tbsp. dill, 2 tsp. Dijon, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. pepper and hot sauce until finely chopped; do not over-mix.  Shape mixture into 4 1/2-inch-thick patties.  Transfer to a large, parchment-lined baking sheet.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2.  Meanwhile, prepare aioli; In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, capers, remaining 1 clove garlic, 2 Tbsp. dill, 2 tsp. Dijon, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Cover and refrigerate.  

3.  Heat an outdoor grill (or a grill pan) to medium-high and lightly oil grate with cooking oil.  Mist patties on both sides with cooking spray and grill for about 10 minutes, turning halfway, until a thermometer reads 145 degrees F when inserted into the center.  Just before the burgers are finished, grill the buns if you desire.

4.  Divide spinach, patties, aioli, and tomatoes evenly between buns. Enjoy!

**NOTE:  If you are following a low FODMAPS diet omit the garlic and onion and use a Tuscan or garlic-infused oil to cook your burgers.  Also, keep in mind wheat contains FODMAPs, but the 1/2 cup of whole wheat panko shouldn't be enough to cause issues.  The bun, however, should be gluten free (Udis has a low FODMAPs hamburger bun).  Lastly, the hot sauce will contain FODMAPs. You can omit this, or use it (like I did) because a dash shouldn't be enough to cause problems.

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1 burger and bun
Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Good source of fiber, excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium.  Also, this provides ~1100 mg EPA/DHA (long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids).

I attempted to get Nick to try one, but the pink coloring really threw him off. Darn it, he knew it was salmon!  Ok, he's no fool, they smelled like salmon (in the best way possible). I just froze these babies and enjoyed them for a couple weeks on my own. His loss.

Don't lie, my grill marks are perfection. Right? And I used a grill pan (actually I think that's why my grill marks look so perfect.  The grill pan is a must-have kitchen gadget).

QUESTION:  Do you have a favorite recipe for salmon burgers? If you do, please share it!

In other news, my new job is off to a great start.  It's definitely a huge change from being in the supermarket, but I still get to be around great people all day, and do what I love; educate people on how to enjoy healthy and delicious food.

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd