Photo: Nicoletta Tavella
Let me tell you, these wild salmon burgers are EPIC.
I’m a total burger lover. Meat, veggie, vegan and fish, just gimme a GOOD burger and you’ll make me happy.
The weird thing is, though, that I never make burgers for myself and that I end up preparing them only when my niece Gaia is visiting from Italy (she’s a great burger lover too).
So I decided to make these when I got my hands on a beautiful fillet of wild salmon. And man, they’re good!
Wild salmon is smaller, darker in colour and way more expensive than farmed one but believe me, it’s really worth the money and it’s WAY healthier than farmed one (think: no antibiotics, good natural food to eat and lots of clear, clean water to swim in).
Wild salmon is also much tastier than regular one and that’s another reason for its higher price. To make burgers that are very yummy but not that expensive try and use the tail pieces that are cheaper than the beautiful, thicker slices of fillet in the middle. I got mine at Franks’ Smoke House in Amsterdam.
These burgers are tasty and juicy so make sure you make enough because you’ll want more than one.
P.S.: do you prefer to eat plant-based and want to learn how to make delicious vegan burgers and mayonnaise without eggs? Check out my vegan Italian cooking workshop!
Photo: Nicoletta Tavella
Hamburger di salmone selvaggio con peperoncino, avocado e maionese al dragoncello e lime
Serves 2 / 4 burgers
Ingredients:
BURGERS:
400 gr. wild salmon fillet, skin removed
1 fresh red chilli, seeds removed
4 tblsp plain mayonnaise (see recipe)
4 tblsp Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 organic lemon (only the grated skin)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
sea salt & black pepper
a small bucnh of fresh dill
a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
e.v. olive oil
PLUS:
4 crunchy rolls
salad leaves
1 avocado, sliced
HERBY MAYONNAISE:
2 egg yolks at room temperature
2 teaspoons of lime juice at room temperature
1 pinch of saffron
1,2 dl sunflower oil at room temperature
sea salt
1 teaspoon of tarragon leaves, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
MAYO: put egg yolks, lime juice, saffron and a pinch of salt in a tall measuring cup.
Add the sunflower oil very slowly (almost drop by drop) while mixing with an immersion blender. When the mixture begins to thicken, pour the rest of the oil in a trickle and continue to mix until the mayonnaise is thick enough.
Add the finely chopped tarragon leaves and garlic clove and mix well.
BURGERS: finely chop the salmon fillet together with the chilli pepper using a mixer or by hand.
Put the mixture in a bowl and add 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise, Panko crumbs, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper and the finely chopped dill and flat-leaf parsley leaves (no stalks).
Mix everything well together and shape into 4 burgers.
Fry the burgers in 4 tbsp of olive oil and serve warm on the bread rolls with some mayonnaise, lettuce leaves and slices of avocado.
Photo: Nicoletta Tavella
