In the interest of good health, I have been trying to incorporate Salmon into our everyday meals be it baked fish or Salmon pasta or the Sushi meals we eat out every once in a while. But as everyone knows, I am always looking for new things to try out and I was running out of ideas on what more can be done with fresh salmon. Just to set it clear in advance, I cannot have any form of canned fish. It has been a side effect of my second pregnancy. I can no longer eat the Tuna sandwiches I used to love so much before and canned salmon is absolutely out of the question!

During one of those days when I sit in front of the TV while blogging watching (rather listening to) every single show on food tv, I saw an episode of Rachel Ray - 30 Minute Meals. She can make a burger out of anything and I really mean it! And I saw her make burgers with fresh salmon and that was my inspiration on the day!

I took fresh Salmon fillet, removed all the thin bones and the skin and cut it into cubes. I then pulsed it a few times in the food processor till it resembled minced fish. I flavored this with fresh herbs and lemon juice and zest and used this to make patties.

I also made my own version of a tartar sauce with mayo, light sour cream, dill, pickles and capers. I like to add a bit of sour cream to my tartar sauce because it makes it feel lighter. I know its hard to believe that sour cream could make it feel lighter but for me it helps to cut through the fat in the mayo especially since I always use low fat sour cream and add a different kind of tartness. The chopped herbs, pickles and capers just make the sauce every bit more delicious and I always add a bit of fresh lemon juice to give it the extra punch.

For the bread I chose a soft rosemary sandwich loaf. If given the option I always prefer a crusty and flavored bread because I am a firm believer that there is no good sandwich without a good bread. The carboholic in me is always keen to try out new types of breads. I also decided to keep it simple with the veggies - sliced tomatoes and mixed salad greens with a sprinkle of sea salt did the trick.

To make it even healthier, I skipped the usual chips or fries and served the sandwiches with a fresh salad with greens, sliced mini radishes, grated carrots and crumbled feta cheese dressed with a home made honey mustard dressing. Served with a glass of chilled wine this is as gourmet as a salmon sandwich can be. For all folks who like to cook with fish, this is a must try. Some time I will try to make this with different varieties of fish but for now salmon rules in my kitchen!

Ingredients

For the salmon patties:

1 salmon fillet, bones & skin removed, cut into cubes

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1 spring onion, chopped

zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt and white pepper powder to taste

For the tartar sauce:

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lite sour cream

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon chopped dill pickles

1 teaspoon chopped capers

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

salt to taste

Rosemary sandwich bread

Mixed salad greens

Sliced fresh tomatoes

Method:

1. Pulse the salmon cubes in a food processor till it gets minced. Take it out in a bowl, add the fresh herbs, lemon zest, juice, spring onion and salt & pepper. Mix and set aside for a few minutes in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend together.

2. In the meantime, combine all ingredients for the tartar sauce in a small bowl and set it aside for a few minutes. The tartar sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated also.

3. Form patties with the salmon mixture. Cook the patties over medium low heat in a flat pan with a teaspoon of olive oil added to it. Cook 3-4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the patty.

4. Cut the bread horizontally and spread the sauce on both sides. On the bottom bread piece, put a layer of greens and put a couple of slices of tomato on it. Sprinkle some sea salt on the tomato slices, place the salmon patty on it and place the second slice of the bread on top. Serve with chips or fries. I prefer to serve with a side salad.