Troy Guard

Feeling woods-y as the summer arrives? Want to get out and back to your roots? We’ve got the down home classic inspired dish just for you! TAG Burger Bar’s Burger of the Month is a Paul Bunyan Burger! An Angus beef patty, topped with fried Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds, candied bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and maple mustard aioli – it’s a little sweet, a little salty, and a lot delicious! And don’t forget, as with every Burger of the Month, $1 goes to charity! This month we’re supporting Morgridge Academy at National Jewish Health – a public school for people with respiratory illness.

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This burger boss… has more patty knowledge than most chefs combined. Troy Guard, chef-owner of TAG Burger Group in Denver, now has 11 establishments in the Mile High City, including TAG Burger Bar, which features his decadent and creative burgers.

This burger is so special… because “the texture and taste just work together and provide this umami you can’t get enough of.” says Guard.

The secret technique is… always use butter, then toast the buns in the pan first before placing the patty on the bottom bun, enabling the salmon’s juices and fatty oils to soak in. Guard also likes using coconut oil when cooking fish patties.

The perfect side Is… French fries with a sprinkle of furikake , a dried Japanese seaweed spice.

Salmon Godzilla Burger
Troy Guard of TAG Burger Bar recom­mends making extra crispy topping; it’s a tasty snack on its own. Serves 4

FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs.sake
Tbs. minced scallion
½ tsp. minced fresh ginger
½ tsp. minced garlic
tsp. cornstarch 

FOR THE SALMON BURGERS
1 lb. skinless salmon fillet , coarsely chopped (about ¼-inch pieces)
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbs. thinly sliced scallion
Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
Tbs. mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie
¼ cup plain panko
¼ cup cooked quinoa Kosher salt

FOR THE CRISPY TOPPING
cup tempura flour, sifted, or all-purpose flour
egg, lightly beaten
2 cups canola oil Kosher salt

FOR THE ADDITIONAL BURGER TOPPINGS
¼ cup mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie
¼ tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
¼ cup canola oil; more as needed
5 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into ¼-inch slices (about 2cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tbs. plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp.reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 potato rolls
4 large leaves butter lettuce

MAKE THE TERIYAKI SAUCE

In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, sugar. vinegar. sake, scallion, ginger, and garlic. Whisking occasionally over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and

¼ cup water. While whisking the soy sauce mixture constantly, add the cornstarch slurry and cook until bubbling and thick­ened about 3½ minutes. Set aside to cool.

MAKE THE BURGERS

Put the salmon, egg. scallion, soy sauce, and mayonnaise in a large bowl andgently mix together. Add the panko, quinoa, and1 tsp. salt, and gently mix until well combined.

Divide the mixture into four equal portions, then form into patties the diameter of the bun (about¾ inch thick). Cover and refrig­erate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.

MAKE THE CRISPY TOPPING

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, egg, and 1 cup ice-cold water. Mix until just combined; do not over mix.

Affix a candy thermometer to the side of a medium saucepan. Add the oil and heat to 350°F. Dribble 1Tbs. of the batter into the hot oil and coo k until golden brown, 3½ to 4 minutes stirring occasionally and breaking apart any large pieces with a slotted spoon. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and sprinkle lightly with salt if you used all-purpose flour. Repeat until you have about 1 cup of the topping.

MAKE THE TOPPINGS, AND SERVE THE BURGERS

Mix the mayonnaise and liquid smoke in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a medium skillet over medium- high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasion­ally, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with ¼tsp. salt and pepper. Add 1 tsp. of the butter and the soy sauce to the skillet, and stir to combine.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt ½ Tbs. of the remaining butter over medium heat. Add 2 of the rolls, cut side down, and toast until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining½ Tbs. butter and buns.

Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 2 Tbs. of oil, and heat un til shimmering. Add the salmon patties to the skillet, in batches if necessary, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on the first side and about 2 minutes on the second side.

Transfer each burger to a roll bottom. Spoon 1 Tbs. of the teriyaki sauce on each burger. Divide the lettuce, mushrooms, and crispy topping evenly among the burgers.  Spread the mayonnaise on the roll tops.  Pass the remaining teriyaki sauce at the table.

Pair With: JAPANESE RICE LAGER
Crisp, dry effervescence will be a perfect foil for all of the flavors and textures in this burger.

Courtesy of FINECOOKING.COM