BOUILLABAISSE BURGERS WITH TOMATO-FENNEL RELISH AND SAFFRON MAYONNAISE

Bouillabaisse Burgers with Tomato-Fennel Relish and Saffron Mayonnaise image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h52m

Yield 6 burgers

Number Of Ingredients 22

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Ingredients

2/3 cup seeded and finely chopped firm ripe plum or vine-ripened tomatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped fennel
3 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon garlic flavored olive oil
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly grounded black pepper
1 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless red snapper fillets (or any other firm-textured white lean fish), coarsely ground (in small batches) in a food processor or chopped into about 1/4-inch pieces by hand
3/4 pound peeled and deveined large raw shrimp, cut into about 1/4-inch pieces
5 egg whites
1 1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs), or as needed
Canola oil, for brushing on the grill rack (recommended: Colavita All Natural)
12 slices, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick, French bread, cut from center of 1 loaf or 2 loaves
Garlic-flavored olive oil, for brushing on both sides of bread slices

Steps:

For the relish:
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill until needed.
For the mayonnaise:
Combine the saffron threads and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 20 minutes to l hour.
Transfer the soaked saffron to a blender. Add the mayonnaise and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until serving time.
For the patties:
Spread the red snapper and shrimp evenly over the bottom of a large glass baking dish. Wearing kitchen gloves, or using a fork, gently mix in the egg whites, thyme, salt and pepper; combine together well. Mix in enough panko to bind the ingredients together and form into 6 equal patties to fit the slices of bread. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until needed, at least 30 minutes.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
When the grill is ready, generously brush the grill rack with canola oil. Lightly brush both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil. Place the bread slices on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly, turning once with tongs; set aside. Place the patties on the
middle of the grill rack, cover, and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, turning once with a large spatula, until the patties are just cooked through; do not overcook.
To assemble the burgers, spread about l tablespoon of the mayonnaise evenly over 1 side of each toast. Place a patty on 6 of the mayonnaise-coated toasts. Using a slotted spoon, evenly top each patty with the tomato-fennel relish. Add the toast tops, mayonnaise side down.