Curry Salmon Sliders with Dill Aioli

This recipe features Omega 3-rich wild salmon, from a can! In fact, as long as your salmon is wild it doesn’t matter that much if it’s fresh, frozen or canned. Of course, nothing tastes like fresh fish that’s caught the same day it’s cooked, but that’s not really practical for most of us. 

Why Omega 3s? I talk about Omega 3s with my patients extensively because these fantastic fatty acids are some of the most anti-inflammatory compounds we have in our diet. Omega 3s are helpful for EVERYONE. They have been extensively studied and are supportive to so many medical conditions, including metabolic issues like high triglycerides or cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions like ADHD, mood disorders or dementia, and autoimmune diseases to name just a few.

In fact, Omega 3s are so important to humans that the richest supply of Omega 3s in our food chain is breast milk! So, ladies, if you’re considering pregnancy, are currently pregnant, or breastfeeding a baby then Omega 3s are paramount! The two most important Omega 3s are called DHA and EPA.

The second richest source of Omega 3 fats are cold-water fish like wild salmon, black cod (also called sablefish or butterfish) and halibut, as well as sardines and herring. One 3.5oz serving of these fish twice weekly can provide us with almost 2000mg of Omega 3 goodness. This would be equivalent to taking a daily supplement, but the food form is much more bioavailable.

But what if you don’t like fish? Well, you’re in luck. There are Omega 3 rich plants as well! Try ground flax seed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts and whole organic soy like tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy nuts and soy milk. I recently discovered walnut mylk at the grocery and LOVE IT. The only issue with plant-based Omega 3s is that the form (called ALA) needs to be converted in the body to a useable form, so they aren’t as efficient as cold-water fish.

I’m always looking for kid-friendly ways to get Omega 3s into my family’s diet. Not surprisingly, my kids don’t crave salmon, so I have to disguise it. This burger does a good job of making the salmon very tasty to unaccustomed palates.

You can see in this recipe that I offer a lot of alternatives for spices, greens and fat. I’ve tried it a few different ways and have loved all of the combinations, so play around with it a little! I encourage you to use what’s already in your fridge or pantry.

I love mini-burgers and sliders, so this would be a great recipe to have as a more substantial snack or small meal with a side of vegetables.

Makes approximately 4 medium to 6 small burgers

Ingredients

6oz can of salmon in water (drained of excess water)

½ -1 cup chopped greens (baby spinach, baby kale or parsley), finely chopped

½ medium zucchini, grated

1 Tbsp curry powder, tandoori powder or garam masala powder

¼ tsp red pepper flakes, if desired

½  tsp ground ginger

Salt to taste

1 large egg

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or ghee

 

Dill Aioli Sauce

1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced finely or crushed

1 tsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp mayonnaise or plain greek yogurt

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

For serving

Lettuce, sliced

Tomato

Buns (I suggest the mini hamburger buns from Trader Joe’s)

Directions

 

1.     In a large bowl, grate the zucchini. Squeeze zucchini with several paper towels and repeat with dry paper towels until most of moisture absorbed. (The burgers crisp up better if the mixture is not too wet.)

2.     Add flaked salmon, greens, and spices. Stir to combine.

3.     Whisk egg and add to mixture.

4.     Heat the olive oil or ghee in a pan. Form the mixture into patties and place in pan.

5.     Fry the patties for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Don’t flip too soon or you’ll lose your golden crust!

6.     Assemble with buns, tomato slices and lettuce if desired. Also delicious over whole grains like brown rice or quinoa with a side of vegetables!

Enjoy!