Wild, Wild Salmon Burgers
Serves 4 | Prep Time 15 min | Cook Time 6 min
If you want to put a frown on a native Marylander’s face (that would be me), make a fish cake crammed with filler. Maybe it come from growing up near the Chesapeake Bay, but everyone in Baltimore knew which restaurants actually delivered on the promise to make crab cakes with 90 percent crab and who took the cheap way out with a fifty-fifty mix of crab and breadcrumbs. That’s a no-fly zone in my book, no matter what sea dweller you’re serving up. In this case, it’s omega-3 powerhouse wild salmon. That’s the first wild. The second wild is for wild rice, used here to hold these burgers together. Wild rice is filled with B vitamins, fiber, and zinc. This recipe is super for anyone who enjoys fish cakes but wants to avoid the gluten they usually contain, and the yogurt sauce is a heady, healthy topper.
Instructions
Put the salmon, wild rice, scallion, lemon zest, salt, and cayenne in a food processor and pulse about six times, just until well combined; don’t overprocess, or you’ll end up with a paste. Transfer to a bowl and gently fold in the parsley and mint. Shape the mixture into 4-ounce patties. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the salmon patties and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Gently flip them over and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 3 more minutes.
VARIATIONS: Substitute cooked long-grain brown rice, such as brown basmati or brown jasmine rice, for the wild rice.
COOK’S NOTE: Wild rice isn’t as fussy as other types of rice. To cook it, simply bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, stir in the rice and a bit of salt, and then decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer vigorously until the grains are tender but still firm. Cooking time can vary depending on the variety of wild rice and how it’s processed, but it’s usually between 40 and 60 minutes. To yield 1 cup cooked, use about 1/3 cup of wild rice. If you don’t have wild rice on hand, substitute a long-grain brown rice, such as jasmine or basmati.
STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
PER SERVING: Calories: 210; Total Fat: 8 g (1.5 g saturated, 4.5 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 10 g; Protein: 25 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 283 mg
Ingredients
1 pound wild salmon fillet, cut into
1/2-inch chunks
1 cup cooked wild rice (see note)
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion, white and green parts
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Yogurt Sauce with Citrus and Mint