Quick and Easy Pan-Fried Salmon Burgers

Today we are going to take a look at how to make salmon burgers that uses mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to deliver up very moist patties with a nice crunch. These are truly easy to prepare and are a terrific way to use canned salmon.

The ingredient amounts we are using here will make 5-6 large patties. I like to make salmon burger patties on the larger size as that way they will not dry out during cooking and, unlike with beef, lamb or chicken burgers, there are no concerns around the burgers being too rare.

Ingredients:

2 large cans pink salmon (400-500 grams each)
5 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard  (Use the extra hot variety if you like, I think it kicks the flavour up a notch!)
1 egg
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 of a red onion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste

To begin, drain your salmon cans of all liquid and put the salmon into a large mixing bowl. Add all the other ingredients blending as you go.

Once you have added everything use your hands to toss and mash it all together until it is thoroughly blended and thickened. If you are finding it will not hold together as much as you like you can add more breadcrumbs as necessary. Then shape the mix into patties that are your desired size.

Heat some olive oil in a large pan to medium high.

Add your patties so that they are not touching. Do in batches if necessary.

Fry the patties until they are crunchy and golden brown on each side as well as heated through. This usually takes 6-7 minutes a side (12-14 total) flipping once. Keep an eye on them as they cook as you want to make sure they do not burn. Reduce heat if needed.

Once they are done serve on a bun topped with whatever you like. I think the flavours go well with some more red onion and some tomato on top with maybe an extra squirt or two of lemon. I also like to mix some mayonnaise with a habanero style hot sauce as a sauce, though tartar sauce is also a terrific, classic topping.

Enjoy.

See also: Lamb & Chicken BBQ Burgers

See also: The best canned tuna or salmon salad sandwich recipe

See also: The Leviathan Sauerkraut & Horseradish Double Pork & Beef Burger!

Woody's Burgers Bar and Grill - Hardwood Grilled Burgers Among Toronto's Best

When many roundups of Toronto's best burgers are done one of the city's finest burger grills is often forgotten perhaps because its first location for several years lay out at the very edge of the metropolis on the border of Mississauga in historic Long Branch.

But Woody's Burgers Bar and Grill, which now also serves up their fare at 383 Jane St., truly belongs on any such list. What makes Woody's stand out is how they grill their burgers on a hardwood burning grill and this gives a flavour that is well worth a special trip to enjoy.

Hardwood aside though, the burgers are moist and delicious and offered  in a variety of combinations that deserve multiple visits to cycle through. They are made fresh to order and are not fast food, usually taking 10-15 minutes to be ready (you can, of course, call ahead for take-out).

While it seems obligatory for burger menus to have a fried egg topped option (in Woody's case aptly named the "Coronary" and served  with a stuffed cheeseburger and smoked bacon for $10.05) my favourites are the "Bistro" (brie cheese, sauteed mushrooms, onion and Dijon mustard, $8.45), "Tokyo" (pickled ginger, wasabi mayo and sauteed onions, $7.35) and the "Greek" (feta cheese, red pepper, cucumber, tomato and tzatziki, $8.45).

The Bistro Burger $8.45

On offer as well are two turkey burgers of which the "Special Tandoori" with roasted red pepper, sauteed onion, cucumber, curry mayo and garlic yogurt sauce ($7.65) is sure to please. Woody's also has a very good "Veggie" burger option ($7.75) which you can top with whatever you fancy.

The Veggie Burger $7.75

Fries are important at a burger joint and both the sweet potato and regular options here satisfy that side hankering. The "Pulled Pork Poutine" with pulled pork (of course), fried onion, grilled jalapeno, cheddar cheese curds and gravy is a meal unto itself ($9.35).

In fact, Woody's has an entire pulled pork sandwich menu if you want a burger alternative.

Fans of craft breweries will love the on tap beer selection that eschews the big names for Ontario alternatives like Henderson's Best or Amsterdam Blonde.


Service is at the counter and is friendly and helpful. When your burger is ready, if you are at their Long Branch location you can take it out to their relatively large patio and enjoy it with your cold beer -- a near perfect afternoon or evening treat.

Watching the streetcars stream by from the patio

Burgers, fries, beer and a patio! What is not to like?

Woody's Burgers has two locations: 3795 Lake Shore Blvd W. (at the foot of Brown's Line and on the 501 streetcar line) 416-546-2093 and 383 Jane St., 416-761-9900. You can visit their website at woodysburgers.ca 

If going to the Long Branch location be sure to fit in a trip to the nearby Marie Curtis Park, one of Toronto's lesser-known waterfront gems.

See also:  The Rude Boy Burgers on Roncesvalles w. Kimchi Fries & Onion Rings

See also: Ali's West Indian Roti Shop w. Fiery House Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce

The Rude Boy Burgers on Roncesvalles w. Kimchi Fries & Onion Rings

The Sting

With a classic diner style feel though a decidedly modern tone and beer list, The Rude Boy is a terrific gourmet burger joint on Roncesvalles Ave in Toronto's west end that boasts some near perfect sides as well.

The burgers here are freshly prepared and spot on. You can build your own starting with "The Natural" (lettuce, pickled onion, pickles, tomato, ballpark mustard, jalapeno ketchup - $9.00) and adding ingredients or pick from one of their four specialty burgers.

All are standouts but "The Sting" (spicy Monteray jack, crispy jalapenos, chili aioli, cucumber slaw, sriracha - $9.75) is a truly impressive combination of bold, spicy flavours while "The Rude Boy" (peameal bacon, house cured bacon, house smoked cheddar, fried egg, pickled red onion, garlic aioli, house mustard - $12.00) is gloriously decadent.

The Rude Boy

Not in the mood for a burger? There are also vegetarian, fish and chicken sandwiches like "The Birdman" (fried buttermilk chicken thigh, pickled carrot, stilton aioli and a srirachi honey sauce for dipping, served on a baguette - $11.00) or "Off the Hook" (beer battered Basa, lettuce, tomato, taragon tartar sauce - $10.00).

While the burgers and sandwiches come with a serving of potato chips and a pickle slice, The Rude Boy also has a couple of the best sides I have had anywhere in the city.

The Onion Rings are simply incredible, made with an in-house beer batter and served with a mustard dip. ($4.75). If you love onion rings you cannot pass up trying these out.

Even more spectacular are the Kimchi Fries, which are french fries served with with crispy and yet very moist pork belly, kimchi, korean bbq sauce and scallions. ($8.00). This plate of fries is so good as to be worth repeated visits on its own!

Kimchi Fries

The Rude Boy is also notable for its extensive and excellent craft beer menu.

The Rude Boy is located at 397 Roncesvalles Avenue (just south of Howard Park Ave.) 416 533 3269. They are open seven days a week from 11 am - 11 pm.

Their website with their full menu can be found at therudeboy.ca

See also: Charlie's Caribbean Cuisine: West Indian-Chinese Fusion in Mississauga

See also: Butter Chicken Roti -- Fiery Spicy & Delicious Indian Rotis on Queen W.

The Leviathan Sauerkraut & Horseradish Double Pork & Beef Burger!

Today we are going to take a look at what I call the Leviathan Sauerkraut Burger! This huge burger has strong and delicious flavours and is very, very messy to eat, as any truly great over-the-top burger should be.

You can use any burgers, fresh or frozen, for this, but I like a pork-beef blend.


To make your own pork-beef burger patties (here we will be giving portions for about 6 good sized patties) you need the following:

1 lb. medium or regular (not lean) ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 egg
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 minced small onion
salt and pepper to taste

First, gently beat the egg until fully blended. Mix the beef, pork, egg and breadcrumbs together in a large mixing bowl. Add all the other ingredients together and mix again. Shape the mixture into 6 (or however many) firm burger patties.

You can fry or BBQ your patties as you usually cook burgers (about 5-7 minutes a side for properly shaped patties over medium-high heat), always keeping in mind you want to cook them to well done -- which is when they read 160 degrees on an instant read meat thermometer. (While I love rare to rare-medium steaks, burgers cooked to less than well done are not a good idea.)

Once you have made your burgers, take a lightly toasted hamburger bun and first top with Coleman's Horseradish (you can use any horseradish of course, I just happen to like Coleman's a lot), then a layer of grated Swiss Cheese (or a slice of the same) and a bed of sauerkraut.

Then top with your first burger patty.

Dress this patty with some hot mustard. I like some of the rustic Polish ones, but any hot mustard works (again Coleman's makes one as does Keen's). Top this with a couple of full sour pickle slices, some chopped onion or a red onion ring, and a tomato slice.

Top this with another patty and top this patty with some more sauerkraut, more Swiss Cheese and the top burger bun dressed with more horseradish.

Goes great with all the things you love to have burgers with. And a lot of napkins.

Enjoy!

See also: The Reuben Dog!

Mme. Benoit cooks Shrimp, Oxtail, Asparagus, Canadian Fritter Batter and more! -- Vintage Cookbook Throwback Thursday

Vintage Cookbook: Mme. Jehane Benoit's Complete Heritage of Canadian Cooking

Publication Details: Pagurian Press, 1976

Nearly two weeks ago we featured a look at the iconic Canadian and Quebecois chef Mme. Jehane Benoit herself looking book from the vantage point of the 1960's at some very vintage recipes from the Upper Canada of the 19th Century.

Today we'll take a look at Benoit's terrific 1976 cookbook that looks at classic Canadian cooking in greater depth.


The cookbook covers everything from cooking tips, to tips for leftovers, to complete menus for specific types of meals, to the usual sections around soups, fish, poultry, meats, deserts etc.

It also features Benoit's totally unpretentious love of a great diversity of ingredients, styles and techniques and her wonderful, folksy style both in terms of language and the charming little illustrations that are to be found throughout.

Here we are  are going to feature a couple of summer themed recipes, an exceptional fritter batter (and note her emphasis on savoury fritters) and one recipe that uses oxtail, which is one of my favourite meats to work with due to its delicious, full flavour and delightful texture if properly cooked.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Super Hamburger

 See Also: Trout in Corn Husks, Pickled Mushrooms & other 19th Century Recipes from Madame Benoit

See Also: 1974's Classic Canadian Cooking with a Summer Porterhouse BBQ Menu -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

The Art of the Hamburger f. The Calgary Cheeseburger, Toronto Turkey Burger, Vancouver Venison Burger & Nova Scotia Salmon Burgers! Vintage Cookbook TBT

Vintage Cookbook: The Art of the Hamburger, Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen


Publication Details: Chartwell Books, 1996

This terrific cookbook from the 90's takes a comprehensive look at that fixture of North American cuisine, the hamburger! 

Full of terrific retro illustrations and photos of hamburger related memorabilia, the book does not simply tread the familiar ground of the classic ground beef variety, but also covers burgers made from any number of other meats or fish. It has a wide array of featured techniques and cool or off-beat ideas as well as a section on  classic side dishes and condiments.  

One neat aspect to the book is that the recipes are divided by North American geography and named for cities, regions, etc. -- and they include Canadian themed recipes, four of which we share today.

We are also including their overview of the history of the burger.

If you are a fan of burgers, this one is really a must to track down. 

(click on images to enlarge)