Bleu Hawaii Salmon Sliders with Mango Chutney and Lemon Garlic Aoili

Pairs well with:

Sauvignon Blanc

With hints of passion fruit, melon, and citrus, this wine beckons you to kick back and find a perfect porch swing.

I was married in Maui and we spent our 10th anniversary in Ka’ uai, so tropical flavors always remind me of these special times.

I like to combine savory, sweet and spicy elements together. The saltiness of the bleu cheese against the sweet and spicy chutney creates a burst of flavors and the salmon is the perfect fish from which to make a burger.

Ingredients:

1 cup Fresh Bread Crumbs

1/3 cup Buttermilk

2 pounds Ground Salmon

6 ounces Crumbled Bleu Cheese

¼ cup Parsley, minced

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

1 Egg, lightly beaten

For Chutney:

¼ cup Brown Sugar

1/3 cup White Wine Vinegar

1/3 cup Diced Red Bell

4 tablespoon Diced Sweet Onion

1 teaspoon Minced Garlic

¼ teaspoon Salt

1 cup Dried Mangoes, diced

1 ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper

¼ teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

½ cup Chopped Walnuts

¾ cup Water, divided

Cooking Spray

1 teaspoon Prepared Minced Roasted Garlic

1 teaspoon Lemon Zest

12 teaspoons Olive Oil Mayonnaise

1 package 12 count Sweet Hawaiian Style Rolls

Instructions:

Toss breadcrumbs with buttermilk and set aside for 10 minutes. While breadcrumbs soak, prepare the remaining burger ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs and buttermilk, salmon, bleu cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and egg with clean hands. Do not over work. Shape into 12 patties, 3 ounces each, and refrigerate 1 hour. While the burgers chill, heat gas grill to high, 600 degrees and prepare chutney ingredients. Combine the brown sugar through the chopped walnuts in a sauce pan suitable for the grill. Add ¼ cup of the water and place pot on direct heat. Close the grill lid and cook 5 minutes or until boiling, stir and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup water and reduce heat to low, 400 degrees. Cook 5 more minutes with the grill lid closed. Add remaining ¼ cup water and cook an additional 10 minutes with grill lid closed. Turn off 1 burner and place the chutney on the top rack over the extinguished burner. Bring remaining 2 burners back up to high, 550 – 600 degrees. Place 2 pieces of heavy duty foil on the grill over the 2 hot burners and spray liberally with cooking spray. Place patties on the foil and reduce heat to medium high, 500 – 550 degrees. Grill 5 minutes or until brown on the bottom. Flip burgers, rearranging to hotter or cooler spots as necessary for even cooking, grill for 4 minutes more with the grill lid closed. While the burgers are cooking, combine the roasted garlic, lemon zest and mayonnaise, set aside. Remove burgers and tent with foil. Remove foil from the grill and reduce heat to low, 400 degrees. Split buns and toast on the grill about 3 minutes, watching closely. To serve, spread 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise on each half of the buns. Top the bottom bun with one burger and top the burger with 1 tablespoon Mango Chutney. Place top half of bun on chutney and serve.