If you like food with a little “kick” like we do – you’ll love this week’s recipe! Full of omega-3s from the salmon with a delicious nutty taste from the sesame oil, these tiny burgers are easy to make and freeze well, too!
The herb we are featuring this week is slightly more unusual – but we bet you’ve enjoyed it before – wasabi. It was traditionally used in traditional herbal medicine, but now is eaten as a condiment for Japanese food. The zing of the bright green herb adds loads of flavor to a bite of sushi, sashimi or a bowl of noodles.
Wasabi comes from the root-like stem of wasabia japonica, a mustard relative that grows in the shady areas of Japan. When freshly grated, authentic wasabi forms a light green, coarsely textured paste that is both pungent and flavorful. Wasabi’s medicinal effects are related to its content of active isothiocyanates (ITCs), which also account for its pungency. Research suggests that ITCs have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-platelet and anti-cancer effects, but these benefits have been observed in laboratory and a few animal studies. (To date there have been no good studies in humans.)
Shake up the burgers on your grill this weekend, and enjoy salmon in a whole new way!
Grilled Salmon Sesame Sliders
1 Large Egg
1 TB Soy Sauce, Tamari or Braggs Amino Acids
2 Tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 LB Skinless Salmon Fillet, Chopped into 1/8” Pieces
¾ Cup Panko Crumbs (Whole Wheat)
¼ Cup Thinly Sliced Green Onions
2 TBs Black, Tan or White Sesame Seeds, plus more for garnish
Oil for Brushing the Grill
*Wasabi Mayonnaise
Lettuce Cups or Whole Wheat Slider Buns
Step One
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add the salmon, the panko, green onions, sesame seeds and mix. Form into 2” wide and ½” tall patties. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
Step Two
Preheat your oiled grill pan, (or a clean oiled grill outside), and over medium heat, cook the salmon sliders on one side for about 2-3 minutes. Turn, and cook for an additional 2 minutes (or until they are cooked as much as you like).
Step Three
Place each slider in a lettuce cup and top with *Wasabi Mayo. (Or place in a grilled whole wheat bun along with shredded napa cabbage.) Garnish with sesame seeds.
*Wasabi Mayo is super easy to make. Just buy a tube of wasabi horseradish from the sushi bar at your local grocery store. Start with about a tsp and mix it into ½ cup of olive oil mayo. Taste and add more wasabi as desired.