My Love/Hate for Salmon - Missy's Review

The extent of my fish exposure growing up was a lot like Megan's: fish sticks and tuna sandwiches -- until one day my older brother told me there were fish eyes in my tuna and that was the day (6 years old, maybe?) I stopped eating seafood, period. Brothers.

The fish eye comment was fueled by years of walking past the seafood counter seeing those scaly, scary fish staring back at me. "WHY do they keep them whole??" I never liked that and I still don't. I don't like seeing the carcass before I eat it. I just don't.

I am happy to report that I finally got over the fish eye comment somewhere in my mid-20s, when we arrived for dinner at a couple's home who we were just getting to know better. Just as we sat down to eat, the wife pulled the salmon fillet hot off the grill and said, "Oh I didn't even ask if you eat fish." I was honest and said, "You know I really haven't had much salmon so I'm excited to try it." (Okay, partly honest.)

Then I took a bite. And that delicious lemon-pepper savory taste was so unexpected; I realized at that moment how I'd been missing out. After that, grilled lemon salmon often made it's way into our dinner circuit. The problem is, we haven't really switched it up with salmon -- until now.

I've made the switch from beef burgers to turkey burgers and I love both -- but salmon burgers? I've seen them, heard about them, read about them, but have never really had a desire to try them. Thank goodness for this blog because last night I had another "I've been missing out" moment.

I followed the recipe on this one, using all the ingredients but the fish sauce. I used extra soy sauce and it was just fine in my opinion. I hate measuring so again I just kind of eyed everything and probably added extra of everything, I'm sure. They were goopy, so like Megan, I added bread crumbs and I pan fried them. They turned out delicious and worthy to serve to one of my best friends, Natalie, whom I rarely get to see because she lives out of state.

Only thing I would do different is try a mango salsa or some other great sauce. I made a yogurt/chive sauce that I wasn't impressed with so I never used it. I went with my co-worker Donna's trusty burger sauce last minute: ketchup, mayo, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Just a little bit to wet the burger, but the taste of the salmon patty was enough to enjoy alone. I served them as sliders on rosemary rolls and we had summer squash, zucchini and fresh greens from my friend's garden.

One more rant: The idea of skinning a salmon made me up-chuck a little in my mouth, so that wasn't going to happen. And since the QFC cheese guy once saved me the laborious task of grating cheese with his big-daddy machine, I thought it would be worth a try asking the fish lady to skin my salmon. Why not? AND SHE DID! Ask and it shall be given...thankyalord!

So skinned and done. Then I started chopping the salmon and realized I don't know how I'm going to form these into burger patties. I really need a food processor, which I don't own...except for that little, innocent one in the corner that makes my baby's food. Yes, I used the Beaba Babycook to chop and blend the salmon with the other ingredients and BABY, it worked great!

Okay this long-winded, nearly-pointless post is coming to a close. I swear all I was going to write about was the fact I didn't use fish sauce and that the QFC fish lady rocks....


My first time grating ginger and I like the brand name! I'm guessing Melissa also does carrots.

My favorite way to cheat with herbs.

Mmmmm...

Testing the salmon burgers on good friends from out of town (that was dumb of me...).

Friends since age 11. Love you Nat!