Who doesn’t love a burger!? For me, it is the absolute comfort food and a real treat. When I first moved to Berlin many, many years ago, the only place that you could actually get a decent burger was at The Bird. I am pleased to say that this place is still going strong! Over the past couple of years Berlin’s burger scene has boomed and there is certainly no shortage of getting your hands on a decent burger. My top places to go to are Tommi’s, Hirsch and Eber, Muse and Salt n Bone. They all serve up good quality meats tucked inside fresh buns with a choice of tasty toppings and sauces. I love a burger and it is the perfect weekend treat.
Saying all that, as burgers remain incredibly popular it becomes more difficult to get a table on some nights unless you reserve. I feel that each summer Berlin gets more tourists which unfortunately puts us locals with less chance of grabbing a seat on a warm evening and is why I often make our own burgers at home. The only thing that I wish I could get hold of is good quality burger buns. It is something that is very hard to find still in German supermarkets and instead left with generic dry looking sesame buns that have a big American flag on the front of the packet and often only found in XXL size…! If you can, I recommend using brioche buns that are softer but still hold their shape with the juicy burgers inside.
This Salmon and Prawn Burger with a Harissa Mayo is one of my favourites and feels a lot lighter compared to my Blue Cheese Burger or Bulgogi Burger. The fish needs to be drained of any excess liquid so that the burgers keep their shape later on. This is done by adding some sea salt to the fish first and leaving for an hour or two, as it dries it out a little. I simply add some fresh coriander and spring onions to the burgers that makes them taste really fresh. But it is the Harissa Mayo that is the star of the show and works so well with the fish. I use crème fraîche instead of mayonnaise itself and the Harissa adds a lovely kick to the burger. Perfect for a BBQ on a warm sunny day!
- 4 skinless salmon fillets (chopped into small chunks)
- 150g raw prawns (de-frosted if frozen)
- Small bunch fresh coriander
- 2 spring onions (roughly sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and roughly sliced)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 small pot crème fraîche
- 1 tbps harissa paste
- Sea salt/ pepper
- Olive oil
- Burger buns and lettuce to serve
- Place the salmon and prawns into to a bowl. Add about half a tbsp of sea salt and make sure the salt covers all the bits of fish. Leave in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
- For the Harissa Mayo: Mix the crème fraîche, Harissa and half of the lemon juice until well combined. Place in the fridge until needed.
- Take the fish out of the fridge and drain well with kitchen paper so that the fish is dry.
- In a food processor add the fish, coriander, spring onions, garlic and the rest of the lemon juice. Whizz until it forms a chunky paste. You still want to have a few chunks of fish in there and not a super smooth paste. Season with a bit of black pepper.
- Make 4 patties from the fish mixture. Heat a large frying pan with just a dash of olive oil and once hot add the fish burgers. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until crispy and cooked through the middle.
- Plate up with the burger buns, lettuce and the Harissa mayo!
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