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Tuna Burgers with Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise

Source of Recipe

From "Back Around the Table" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"There are a couple of tips to keep in mind when making tuna burgers. Buy top-quality, sushi-grade tuna. Don't overcook them; these burgers should be served just shy of medium-rare. They're delicate, so turn them carefully. Finally, do you know what's really good on a tuna burger? A couple of slices of cooked smoked bacon."

List of Ingredients

Mayonnaise:
â—¦ 1 cup mayonnaise
â—¦ Zest of 1 lemon
â—¦ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
â—¦ 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh dill
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ â…› teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Burgers:
â—¦ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ ½ cup chopped shallots
â—¦ ½ cup dry white wine
â—¦ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
â—¦ 3 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
â—¦ 1 pound ahi tuna steaks, chilled and chopped into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
â—¦ 1 large egg, beaten
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
â—¦ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ Vegetable oil spray
â—¦ 4 to 6 kaiser rolls or seeded hamburger buns, toasted on the grill
â—¦ Lettuce, sliced avocado, and sliced tomatoes


Recipe

To make the mayonnaise, whisk together the prepared mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, and dill in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Season with the salt and pepper.

To make the burgers, heat the grill to medium-high. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and lightly brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and lemon juice and, using a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until 3 tablespoons of wine remain. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the capers. Let the mixture cool.

Combine the tuna, bread crumbs, egg, dill, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in the shallot-caper mixture. Shape the mixture into 4 burgers. Refrigerate the burgers for 15 to 20 minutes before grilling. This will help to keep them from falling apart when grilling.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Lightly spray the burgers with vegetable oil spray. Place the burgers on the grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve the burgers on the rolls, accompanied by the mayonnaise, lettuce, avocado, and tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings