Marionberry BBQ Salmon Burger

Pairs well with:

Chardonnay

Reach for our Chardonnay when you’re in the mood for a rich and creamy wine that delights with the fruity flair of pear, apple, and peach.

I have never been a big fish lover however when I moved to the Pacific Northwest I quickly learned that salmon was a very popular meal as it is so readily available here in the rivers.I set out to create some recipes that featured salmon and came up with this burger. I also used another local treat, the marionberry to add some sweetness to the bbq sauce. This burger is moist and delicious and represents the Pacific Northwest well!

Ingredients:

Marionberry BBQ Salmon Burgers

2lbs. Salmon fillet (bones and skin removed)

2 Garlic cloves finely chopped

2 Green onions chopped

½ tsp. Lemon zest

½ tsp. Thyme (fresh) finely chopped

½ tsp. Black Pepper

1 tsp. Coarse salt

2 Egg yolks

¼ c. mayo

¼ c. Bread crumbs

1 tsp. Olive oil

1 Red onion thinly sliced

1 Head leaf lettuce

6 Kaiser rolls

1 cup BBQ sauce (store bought is fine)

1 pint Marionberries (blackberries can be used as substitute)

8 oz. Cream cheese (softened to room temperature)

¼ to 1/3 Cream or half and half

¼ tsp. Lemon zest

½ tbs. Lemon juice

Canola oil

Instructions:

Cut the salmon into cubes and place in a food processor. Pulse until salmon resembles ground beef/chicken. Place the salmon into a bowl and add garlic, green onion, lemon zest, thyme, pepper, salt, egg yolks, mayo, bread crumbs and olive oil. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Form six salmon patties and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. While salmon patties are chilling prepare the bbq sauce and the cream cheese spread.

Place the store bought bbq sauce into a sauce pan that can be placed on the grill. Add the fresh marionberries to the bbq sauce and place on the grill over medium heat. Still the bbq frequently and as it cooks the marionberries will cook down into the bbq sauce. Cook the bbq sauce until it thickens back up and is a good consistency to be based onto the salmon burgers.

Place the room temperature cream cheese into a bowl. Add the lemon zest and juice to the cheese and stir the mixture. Slowly add the cream a little at a time until you reach a light creamy texture.

Heat the grill to medium high heat. Drizzle canola oil over both sides of the salmon patties and place them on the hot grill. Cook them for 5 minutes and then carefully turn them over to the other side. Cook another 5 minutes. The last few minutes of cooking baste the marionberry bbq sauce onto the patties. Place the Kaiser rolls onto the grill and toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers place a salmon patty onto the grilled bun, brush with additional marionberry bbq sauce, top with lettuce and onion slices. Spread some of the cream cheese mixture onto the top bun and then place bun onto the burger.

Serves 6