Recipe: Tuna Burgers with Sesame Aïoli?

Try ahi tuna as a tasty beef alternative for your burger, and season with aïoli for tangy flavour

Credit: Flickr/roboppy

Ahi tuna burger with aïoli

Try ahi tuna as a tasty beef alternative for your burger, and season with aïoli
 for tangy flavour

Ingredients

Tuna Burgers

  • 2-1/2 pounds ahi tuna

  • 2 large shallots, 
chopped fine

  • 1 Tbsp. minced fresh 
ginger

  • 1 large garlic clove, 
minced

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1 tsp. wasabi paste (optional)

  • 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce

  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds

  • 6 hamburger buns (from a good bakery)

  • 3 cups arugula



Sesame Aïoli

  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled

  • 1 (heaping) Tbsp. Dijon mustard

  • 2 egg yolks

  • Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

  • 1/3 cup toasted sesame oil

  • 2/3 cup grapeseed oil

  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste



Instructions

Aïoli

  1. Combine garlic, mustard and egg yolks in a blender.
  2. Purée, then add lemon juice and pulse.
  3. Turn machine to low speed and slowly pour in the two oils while machine is running. The aïoli will thicken.
  4. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. (Can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated.)

Tuna Burgers

  1. Place tuna on a chopping board and coarsely mince.
  2. Transfer to a bowl and add remaining burger ingredients, except sesame seeds. Mix well to combine.
  3. Divide into 6 portions and shape into patties.
  4. Crust patties in the sesame seeds and chill until ready to grill.
  5. Grill tuna patties for about 3 minutes each side; do not overcook. Split and toast the buns. Spread both sides of each bun with a smear of aïoli. Add a handful of arugula and top with a tuna patty. Yam fries work well with this.

Makes 6 burgers.

Recipe courtesy Caren McSherry from the Gourmet Warehouse


Originally published in TV Week. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TV Week e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.