Salmon Burgers with Harissa “Special Sauce”

Lighten up the grill a little with these nutrient-dense patties and you can still modify your 4th of July menu to include deliciousness to splurge on. For me, I’ll be splurging on pies. I love love love little fried hand pies and I enjoy them about once a year (I’d enjoy them more than that but it’s a bit of work to make them). So to balance it out and “keep in moderation”, I like these salmon burgers. They are low in saturated fat, but more importantly, high in omega 3 fatty acids. Wild-caught salmon is the best option, nutritionally speaking.

With a touch of harissa in the mix and in the sauce, the flavor is a bit more elevated than your average salmon burger. Yet, just as easy to make!  I linked to the harissa recipe that I use the most–from Chef Yotam Ottolenghi; you can make it ahead of time and it keeps well.  I use red Fresno chilis which are easier to find than Urfa or other chilis, but I increase the heat usually by adding a fresh Serrano or two. Of course you can always buy store-bought harissa, since it’s increasingly available now. Just check the ingredients and make sure it has some good chilis in it and caraway seeds, which I think are the two ingredients that give it its unique flavor in the condiment world.

Happy 4th!