A Very Yummy Burger – Asian Tuna Burger with Wasabi Mayo

When Craig travels for work, Connor and I eat things not on his favs list like spinach-feta scrambled eggs, glazed carrots, and we “test drove” a tuna burger that turned out delicious. So much so that we repeated it the next week when he was home. It satisfies a burger craving but very healthy with nutritious-dense, fresh tuna.

Since yellow fin tuna is so pricey, I knew these had to be really special, and they did not disappoint. Besides being easy and quick to prepare, they were super-fresh tasting, and Connor seared them perfectly so they had a crispy outside but meltingly soft, tender, and moist inside. And they were very pretty with perfect grill lines too! While the original recipe did not call for it, I added a few finely minced chipotle peppers and some adobe sauce, which gave them a subtle but slightly smoky kick. Be sure that they are well-packed and allow time for them to refrigerate after you form the patties so they don't fall apart on the grill. Wasabi mayo is the perfect condiment and adds spice and creamy goodness. We served them with baked oven fries and steamed carrots that I finished in a little butter with garlic, fresh ginger, lime juice, and cilantro.

Tuna Burgers with Wasabi Mayonnaise

Source:  Family Style Food (almost no changes!)

Makes 6 burgers

2 pounds very cold, skinless yellowfin tuna, cut into chunks (I chill the tuna in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting – it’s a lot easier to chop and handle)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup panko crumbs
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

A few finely minced chipotle peppers and adobe sauce to your liking

A few handfuls mixed salad greens
6 hamburger buns, split and toasted
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
Fresh chives

Wasabi Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 minced green onions
2 teaspoons wasabi powder – I used wasabi paste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Place first 4 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse briefly, just until the mixture is roughly chopped.

Add the panko, onions, ginger, soy sauce, pepper, and chipotle and adobe; pulse again to combine. Form into 6 patties and place on a baking sheet or shallow baking dish. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Mix together all ingredients for the Wasabi Mayonnaise, cover and chill until serving time.

Grill the burgers over medium-high heat about 3 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook; these are best removed from the grill rare and left loosely covered for a few minutes to finish cooking to medium-rare. Overcooked tuna will be dry.

Serve the burgers on lettuce lined buns and topped with the wasabi mayonnaise, avocado slices and chives.