Salmon Burger — Recipe of the Week

This week’s free recipe is Salmon Burger — a real household dinner you can cook tonight, then plan the rest of the week around.

Savor a juicy salmon burger on a toasted potato bun, enhanced with homemade aioli. Paired with a fresh arugula and corn salad, this dish is both delicious and nutritious.

Most weeknights fail at 5pm because dinner is still a question. A recipe like this works when it is already on the calendar, the shopping list is already built, and you are not inventing a second meal tomorrow from whatever is left in the fridge.

40 min · 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds Salmon
• 2 cups + ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons Arugula
• 2 Corn (Ears)
• 4 cloves of Garlic
• 4 Lemon (Wedge)
• 1 Shallot
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 4 Potato Buns
• ¼ cup Unsalted Butter
• ¼ cup Mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Oregano (Dry)

Directions

1. Start by preparing all your ingredients. Wash and dry the arugula, corn, and lemon. Remove and discard the husks and silks of the corn, then carefully cut the kernels off the cob, discarding the cob. Peel and finely mince the shallot. For the oregano, pick the leaves off the stems, discard the stems, and finely chop the leaves. Peel and mince the garlic, then use the side of your knife to smash it into a paste, or use a zester for easier processing. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Halve the potato bun. Finely chop the salmon and place it in a large bowl. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board after handling the salmon to prevent cross-contamination.
2. In a medium nonstick pan, melt half of the unsalted butter over medium-high heat until hot. Add the corn kernels and half of the minced shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the shallot is softened and the corn is lightly browned. Once done, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Wipe out the pan to use it again later.
3. To the bowl with the chopped salmon, add the panko crumbs, dried oregano, the remaining shallot, half of the garlic paste, and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix until well combined. Form the mixture into two 1/2-inch-thick burgers. In the same pan used for the corn, heat 2 ¾ tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the salmon burgers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they are nicely browned and cooked through. Transfer the burgers to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, then wipe out the pan.
4. While the burgers are cooking, prepare the aioli by combining the mayonnaise, the remaining garlic paste, the juice of 4 Lemon (Wedge), and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. This aioli will add a flavorful zest to your burger.
5. As the burgers continue to cook, make the salad. To the bowl with the cooked corn and shallot, add all but a pinch of the arugula, the juice from the remaining lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss everything together and season with salt and pepper to taste. This salad will provide a fresh, tangy contrast to the rich salmon burger.
6. In the same pan used to cook the burgers, melt the remaining butter over medium heat until hot. Place the cut sides of the potato buns down in the pan and toast them for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they are lightly browned. Transfer the toasted buns to a clean, dry work surface. Spread a layer of the prepared aioli onto the cut sides of the buns. Place a cooked salmon burger onto each bun bottom, season with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired, then top with the remaining arugula and the toasted bun tops. Serve the burgers with the salad on the side, and enjoy your meal!

Plan the rest of the week

One good dinner is a start. The habit that sticks is seven dinners on one calendar, a shopping list from those meals, and a household that can see what’s cooking.

Save this recipe, pick six more you already cook, and plan this week free with myDinnerPlan. No credit card. Setup takes a few minutes.

If you cook this, note what you swapped. Next week’s public recipe will be a different household dinner from the same library.