Salmon Burgers with Shaved Fennel and Olive Tapenade
These quick, juicy salmon burgers are a delicious way to get your omega-3 fatty acids—and more. In addition to its delicate anise flavor and delightful crispness, fennel offers a unique array of antioxidants and vitamins that reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.
Ingredients
For the olive tapenade:
- 1/2 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 1/4 lb. salmon fillet
- 1 Tbs. mayonnaise
- 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbs. dried bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups baby greens
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel
- 2 tsp. rice vinegar
- 4 crusty sandwich rolls, split
Directions
To make the olive tapenade, in a food processor, combine the olives and garlic and process until finely chopped. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, orange zest and a few grindings of pepper and puree until well blended. You will need about 1/4 cup tapenade for this recipe; refrigerate the rest for another use.
Remove the skin and bones from the salmon and cut the salmon into 1-inch pieces. In a food processor, combine the salmon, mayonnaise, mustard, shallot, tarragon, salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped. Stir in the bread crumbs. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape each portion into a patty.
In a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the salmon burgers and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and opaque in the center, about 8 minutes total.
In a bowl, combine the greens, fennel, the remaining 1/2 Tbs. olive oil and the vinegar and toss to coat.
Spread about 1 Tbs. of the olive tapenade on the bottom half of each roll. Top with a salmon burger, mound about 1/2 cup of the greens mixture on top of each burger, and cover with the other half of the roll. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Eat Well, by Charity Ferreira (Oxmoor House, 2008).