Salmon Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

The hubs is in the peak of summer fishing season, which means salmon and trout are abundant at our house. Most of the time we end up grilling or baking our fish, which is easy, tasty and healthy but since I’ve only got days to weeks (please let it be days!) left of semi-guilt-free eating I’m going to indulge a bit.

These salmon patties are based on a crab cake recipe, which gives them the same rich flavors. You could probably bake them to make them a bit healthier but I haven’t tried it yet.  I serve them with chipotle mayo – which I could (and do) eat on just about anything!

Salmon Patty Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
3/4 lb salmon, skinned, de-boned and chopped into small cubes
1/4 C mayo
3-4 Tbsp panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
3 green onions, chopped
handful of parsley, finely chopped
salt
pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C flour
1 C panko breadcrumbs + 2 tsp Old Bay
vegetable oil

Remove any bones or skin from salmon filets and chop into small cubes. Do not use a food processor as it will turn the salmon to mush. A fine chop will help the patties stay together and still keep the texture you want. Add to a medium bowl. Gently mix in green onions, mayo and bread crumbs and combine until salmon cubes are well coated. Mix in Old Bay, parsley, salt and pepper until spices are worked through mixture. Form mixture into hamburger-sized patties, about 1/3-1/2 inch thick.

Create a breading station with a shallow bowl, containing beaten eggs, and two plates. Pour flour onto one plate and breadcrumbs onto the second. Season breadcrumbs with extra Old Bay, salt and pepper. Carefully dip each patty in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs and transfer to a clean plate. In a cast iron pan or deep skillet, add a thin layer of vegetable oil. Oil should not be any deeper than about 1/3 the thickness of your patties. Heat oil until hot. Test by flicking a small bit of water in it – hot oil will bubble and pop. Turn down to med-high heat and cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, or until salmon is cooked through to an opaque pale pink color.  Remove patties from oil and pat off excess oil with paper towels.  Serve immediately.

Chipotle Mayo
1/4 tsp chipotle powder or 1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo
3/4 C mayo
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lime juice
pinch kosher salt

For chipotle mayo, in a small bowl mix mayo, chipotle powder or minced peppers, garlic, lime juice and salt. Add more chipotle or lime to taste to adjust heat level.

Serve patties with a spread of chipotle mayo and lettuce on buns. Serve additional mayo for dipping if desired.