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Colette & Cassi's Country Kitchen!

Wasabi Salmon Burgers
Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough

June/July 2005

Active time: 30 minutes | Total: 30 minutes

Bring out the taste of salmon by infusing it with a Japanese-inspired mixture of ginger, sesame oil and wasabi. Always ask to sniff salmon before you buy it—it should smell clean and fresh. Serve this burger on a bun with wasabi mayonnaise or on mixed greens with an Asian-inspired vinaigrette.

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 pound salmon fillet, skinned
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1. Whisk soy sauce, wasabi powder and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.

2. With a large chef’s knife, chop salmon using quick, even, straight-up-and-down motions (do not rock the knife through the fish or it will turn mushy). Continue chopping, rotating the knife, until you have a mass of roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions, egg, ginger and oil; stir to combine. Form the mixture into 4 patties. The mixture will be moist and loose, but holds together nicely once the first side is cooked.

3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium for 1 minute. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until firm and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Spoon the reserved wasabi glaze evenly over the burgers and cook for 15 seconds more. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 184 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 117 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 0 g fiber; 369 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Selenium (84% daily value), omega-3s.