Sustainable Super Salmon Burger

Burgers have made a serious comeback--or perhaps they never left. Here in the Washington, D.C. area, there are popular burger boutiques: Five Guys, and the coastal chain, Elevation Burger. Granted, these restaurants have delicious veggie burgers or sandwiches on the menu, the choices are pretty limited if you're a pescetarian. Sometimes you want to bite into a substantial fish burger with all the trimmings but without absorbing a whole day's worth of sodium, which is what fish burgers at several fast-food chains offer. 

Even if you have to make it at home, it's worth closing your mouth around a good salmon burger--a burger that you can make with simple, cheap (but good) ingredients. Using sustainable salmon is always a plus too. Would you believe canned salmon? Crown Prince Natural Alaskan Pink Salmon  is a Certified Sustainable Seafood

according to the Marine Stewardship Council, one of the organizations that certifies fisheries and their products. It's low in sodium as well. (Note: I wasn't paid to write about this product nor did I receive anything. I just really like Crown Prince Alaskan Pink Salmon.)

The Recipe:
Sustainable Super Salmon Burger
Ingredients
2 cans Alaskan pink salmon
1 egg, extra large
2 scallions plus tops, chopped
1 sprig flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons cocktail sauce
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 cup fine cracker crumbs, unseasoned
3 whole-wheat burger buns
1 large tomato, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
12 freshly washed and dried spinach leaves
Burger condiments of your choice

Directions

1. Drain salmon and place into a large bowl. 
2. Add egg, scallions, parsley, cocktail sauce, salt and pepper. Mix throughly by hand or with a fork, breaking down all chunks of salmon. Pick out the small, soft bones if you want, but keeping them and mixing them in means extra calcium. (However, if you will be serving the burgers to children, be safe and remove them--or buy boneless and skinless salmon.)
3. Spread cracker crumbs on a clean cutting board used for fish and meats. 
4. Pre-heat a skillet to medium high. Add one tablespoon of safflower oil, grape-seed oil, or another high-heat-tolerant oil. Lightly and carefully wipe the pan with a paper towel to spread the oil thinly to cover the pan.
5. Scoop salmon mixture from the bowl and form a ball the size of a tennis ball (this will make a substantial sized burger). 
6. Roll the salmon ball in cracker crumbs, coating the salmon ball thoroughly. 
7. Place burgers in skillet and use a spatula to slightly flatten the balls into a burger shape. 
8. Cook burgers one at a time, adding and spreading a bit more oil between burgers, until golden brown on each side and firm to the touch. (Note: flip burgers carefully to avoid breaking or splitting.)
9. Allow the burgers to rest while toasting the buns in the skillet (if desired).
10. Build your burgers and add your favorite condiments.

(Makes 3 Super Salmon Burgers)