Chipotle Salmon BLT Burgers with Avocado Ranch Dressing, Arugula & Burst Tomatoes

Pairs well with:

Pinot Grigio

You won’t need a bouquet of flowers when you share our Pinot Grigio. This crisp wine with floral aromas is a wonderful way to make an entrance.

I created this recipe after having a salmon club sandwich at a restaurant.I loved the combination of salmon and bacon and thought it would make a delicious combination for a burger. To put my own spin on it, I decided to add some delicious smoky heat to the salmon patties by adding chipotle peppers, which mirror the smoky flavor of the bacon. And to complement the patty, I slather the buns with a creamy avocado ranch dressing. Salmon and avocado is a classic pairing and the avocado adds a nice layer of richness to the burger. To round out the flavors, I top the patties with peppery arugula and sweet burst grape tomatoes which add a nice brightness. When you bite into them, they pop in your mouth.

Ingredients:

Patties:

2 lbs. skinless salmon fillets

1 egg

¼ cup sliced scallions

2 tablespoons minced, seeded chipotles in adobo

2 teaspoons adobo sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

Avocado Ranch Dressing:

1 Haas avocado, peeled and pitted

½ cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon grated yellow onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Burst Tomatoes:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pint grape tomatoes

¼ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced parsley

12 strips Applewood smoked bacon

Canola oil for brushing grill rack

6 brioche hamburger buns, split

1 ½ cups baby arugula

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium high heat.

To make the patties, grind the salmon in a mini food processor until finely chopped. Place the ground salmon in a large bowl and add the egg, scallions, chipotles, adobo sauce, mustard, lime zest, salt, and breadcrumbs. Combine ingredients without over mixing. Form into 6 equal patties and make a slight indentation in the center of each one. Cover and refrigerate. Clean the food processor.

To make the avocado ranch dressing, combine the avocado flesh, mayonnaise, buttermilk, lime juice, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper in the mini food processor and puree until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

To make the burst tomatoes, heat the olive oil in a large fireproof skillet on the grill. Add the grape tomatoes and season them with salt. Cook the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, char, and burst (about 15 minutes). Stir in the garlic and parsley and cook another minute. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and wipe the skillet with paper towels.

Cook the bacon in the same skillet on the grill until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside.

Brush the grill rack with canola oil. Place the burger patties on the grill and cook until opaque, about 4 minutes on each side. During the last minute of cooking, place the burger buns on the grill, cut side down, to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, spread some avocado ranch dressing on each bun half and place a burger patty on each bun bottom. Place 2 pieces of bacon on each patty and top with some burst tomatoes and baby arugula. Add the bun tops and serve.