March 26, 2008 | Condiments, Fish & Seafood

I had a mission today: continue to work my way through things in my freezer and pantry in an effort to reduce the amount of food that I need to move in two months while still making something fresh tasting and relatively healthy. My solution? Salmon burgers topped with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli and some shredded cucumber. This was a version of the recipe featured in Buzz in the ‘burbs last summer, and I just grabbed what I had on hand to make the salmon patties.

Because the salmon is mixed with so many ingredients for flavor, I found thawed salmon filets that I had purchased a couple of months ago to work just fine. When using defrosted fish, make sure to blot off any excess water as they tend to be wetter after the freezing and thawing process. I was also using red peppers that I had roasted last fall and frozen – they too let off a great deal of water when you thaw them, so blotting them with paper towels before adding them to the fish is essential.

Salmon Burgers
Yields 2 very large burgers
(ingredients pictured above)

12 ounces of salmon, chopped with a sharp knife
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons diced green onion
1/4 cup finely diced roasted red peppers
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 egg
1/4 cup very dry bread crumbs (I actually added more right before cooking the burgers to help them hold together)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or cilantro
salt and pepper

Mix together all the ingredients except the salmon, then gently fold in the salmon and shape into patties like below.
Because the patties are rather delicate, it works best to pan sear these in a non-stick skillet on medium heat until lightly browned on one side, then turn the burgers, lower the heat to medium low, cover, and cook until done, about 5 minutes more. Serve the salmon burgers without a bun with a healthy dollop of the Roasted Red Pepper Aioli (made by mixing 1/4 cup mayo with 1/4 cup roasted red peppers and a clove of garlic in a food processor until creamy) and a mound of shredded cucumber on top or serve on a traditional bun with condiments of your choice.