Chipotle Salmon Burgers

What did I do in the days before I owned a Cuisinart?

Let's make another good-for-you recipe. We made this one twice this summer, and as far as recipes I've cut out of magazines go, this one's definitely a keeper.

These actually worked better than I thought with
cooking spray instead of oil in the pan. Healthier!

It's smoky, it's spicy, it's satisfying, it tastes decadent -- and yet all of the fat is good fat, omega-3s! Well... okay, so we topped ours with sliced cheese and some kind of delightfully spicy mayonnaise that Adam whipped up freehand, but still. Pretty healthy, amazingly delicious.

I mean, we put some spinach on there, too!

Chipotle Salmon Burgers
via Cooking Light Magazine, adapted slightly

Makes 4 burgers.

⅓ cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 to 1 ¼ pound salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1-inch chunks
Cooking spray or vegetable oil
4 buns or oversized English muffins
Lettuce or spinach
Mayo fixings, if desired

Step 1: Place onions, chile, and lime juice in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add salt and salmon chunks; pulse 4 times or until salmon is coarsely ground and mixture is well blended.

Step 2: Divide salmon mixture into 4 equal portions; shape each portion into a 1-inch-thick patty. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray, or heat a small amount of vegetable oil in the pan. Add patties to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Step 4: Toast buns/English muffins, or pan-toast them in the burger pan (you may need to add a bit more cooking spray, or a touch of butter/margerine).

Step 5: Adam's mayonnaise doesn't have exact amounts because he made it up as he went along, but it had cayenne pepper and Frank's Red Hot sauce in it; or you could make up your own with spices you have lying around. I highly recommend it. Add mayo and lettuce or spinach to bun, add burger, and enjoy!