Tuna Burgers with Lemon-Sage Aioli

To download a copy of the recipe for Tuna Burgers with Lemon-Sage Aioli, click HERE.

In this week’s recipe, three of my favorite things – tuna, food that’s low-fat and nutritious, and fresh-cooked burgers – are combined into one delicious meal that’s easy to make and satisfying to eat. Whether you’re cooking dinner for your family or feeding friends at a summer cookout, Tuna Burgers with Lemon-Sage Aioli are a great alternative to the usual ground beef or ground turkey burger. And the natural goodness of tuna – including high quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant mineral selenium – is made even better when you serve them on whole grain rolls with turkey bacon, low fat cheese, cooked onions, or any other low fat topping you like!

The nutritional value of tuna in its many forms is worth checking out. Many on-line sources are available; the Livestrong site (http://www.livestrong.com/tuna-nutrition-information/) is one I continue to recommend for useful nutritional background information.

This recipe makes 4 meal-size burgers.

Here are the ingredients you need:

For the lemon sage aioli: ½ cup low fat mayonnaise; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon dried sage; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

For the tuna burger patties: 1 pound fresh (preferred and strongly recommended) or good quality canned; 2 egg-substitute eggs; 2 Tbsp grated carrot; ¼ cup chopped green onions; 2 Tbsp minced celery; 1-1/2 Tbsp prepared horseradish; 2 Tbsp prepared sweet pickle relish; ¼ tsp Worcestershire; ¼ tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper; 2 tsp dried parsley; ½ cup corn meal; olive oil for sauté.

Other Items for Serving: 4 whole grain burger rolls; burger toppings as desired (e.g. low-fat cheese, turkey bacon, tomatoes, reduced fat potato chips, etc.).

First, we’ll make the aioli:

Chop the garlic cloves. Use the flat of the knife blade to press them into a paste.

Combine the remaining aioli ingredients with the garlic paste in a bowl.

Whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate till ready to serve.

Next, we’ll prepare the burgers patties:

If using fresh tuna, use a very sharp knife to cut the tuna into a ¼” dice.

Combine the tuna, egg, onion, carrot, green onion, celery, horseradish, pickle relish, Worcestershire, ginger, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of the aioli in a bowl.

Mix well.

With the corn meal and parsley combined in a bowl, divide the tuna mixture into four equal parts. (It will feel a little loose, but that’s ok. Just handle it carefully.) Using wet hands to keep the tuna mixture from sticking to them, form each into a patty and gently dredge in the corn meal mixture until lightly coated.

Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To cook the burgers:

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary (depending on the size of the pan), place the patties in the pan.

Cook the patties till cooked through and well-browned; this will take about 3 – 4 minutes per side if you’re using fresh tuna, and a bit less if you’re using canned. Set aside when done.

 To serve the burgers:

Use the same pan to lightly toast the burger rolls, applying a little more oil if needed.

Place each patty on a toasted bun, and top with 1 Tbsp of the aioli and any other desired toppings.

To download a copy of the recipe for Tuna Burgers with Lemon-Sage Aioli, click HERE.

Hope you and your family and guests enjoy having these very special burgers!

Please visit again next week for another easy, delicious, kitchen-tested recipe. Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)

Smoked Salmon Hummus

When you’re looking for healthy food that’s simple to prepare, it’s hard to beat home-made hummus. If it’s a delicious light meal you want, smoked salmon (which packs its own good collection of nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids) is a great way to go. And should a single food that combines both be what you seek, read on! Home-made Smoked Salmon Hummus works equally well for breakfast, for lunch, as an appetizer, healthy snack, or as a dip for breads, crackers or veggies that guests at your next gathering will love.

Hummus has been around in one form or another since at least the 13^th century, and is found in most countries of the Middle East. It has become quite popular here in the United States as well. Typically made from tahini (which, in turn, is made from sesame seeds), chick peas, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil, it is widely considered a nutritionally well-rounded vegetarian dish. According to Wikipedia, hummus is a great source of iron, vitamins B6 and C, folate, protein, dietary fiber, and the amino acid methionine.

This recipe adds smoked salmon to the mix. (It is important to note that the term “smoked salmon” can refer to a number of products, depending on where you’re located; as used here, the term refers to the cured salmon fillet often called “lox” and that is generally associated with bagels.) Hummus normally being a vegetarian dish, I know of no other recipe that combines it with fish or animal protein, although I have to think that, sometime between the 13^th century and today, someone else, somewhere, must have done it. And let’s not forget that smoked salmon packs a lot of nutrition as well. Livestrong cites smoked salmon as being a good source of lean protein, calcium, selenium, niacin, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. It also offers vitamins D, B-6 and B-12. With all that going for smoked salmon, combining it with a healthier spread-base than cream cheese starts to make a lot of sense!

This recipe makes about four cups of hummus.

First, we’ll need our tahini, the sesame seed paste that serves the same function in hummus as mayonnaise does in tuna salad. You can either buy ready-made tahini (you’ll need about ¼ cup) or make it as follows:

In an oven or toaster-oven, toast ½ cup of sesame seeds at 350 degrees until golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Combine the sesame seeds with 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor. (A mini food processor is good here because of the small quantity of sesame seeds.) Puree until creamy.

With the tahini now ready, let's use it to make our hummus.

Prepare the following: 2 cups chickpeas (well-drained canned are ok); juice of 1 lemon; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 8 ounces smoked salmon, divided (6 ounces chopped, 2 ounces minced); and 2 tablespoons of capers, divided (1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp).

Combine the tahini, chick peas, lemon juice, garlic, 6 ounces of chopped smoked salmon and 1 tablespoon of capers in a food processor. Process the ingredients in batches if necessary for the capacity of your food processor.

Process to desired consistency. (As you’ll see in the photos, I like my hummus a little chunky, but that’s just me. Process it till it’s the consistency you like. Remember, it’s your hummus.) Once you have the consistency you want, transfer the mixture to a bowl or container and fold in ½ a diced large tomato; 2 tablespoons of minced onion; 1 teaspoon dried dill; 2 ounces of minced smoked salmon; 1 tablespoon of capers (broken slightly be pressing each between your thumb and index finger as you add them); ½ teaspoon of salt; and ¼ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper.

Adjust seasoning to taste.

Top with one or two tablespoons of dried parsley; it’s great served in pita bread as a sandwich (pictured above). Another way to serve hummus (this or any other) is to put it in a bowl and drizzle the top with olive oil, and use it as a spread or dip.

Hope you like this unique, delicious variation on of the most classic dishes around, and that you’ll visit again next week for another easy, delicious recipe! Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)