Chef Sean MacDonald's salmon belly burger from Bar Monette and Burgette in Santa Monica swaps beef for fish and pickled cucumbers for turnips in this light and cheerful take on the smash burger.
To ensure the burgers are as crispy as possible, MacDonald finely chops the fish. The bun is also crucial, he notes. While the restaurant uses house-made brioche, it also recommends soft, fluffy potato buns, which provide “a nice bread-to-meat ratio.”
To cook the burgers, find the widest pan you have so you can flatten them out as much as possible. You'll need a wide, flat spatula, preferably as wide as the burger. Burger papers also help here (they're used to help press down the burgers); they're sold at kitchen supply stores, but you can also cut 5-by-5-inch squares of parchment paper.
Find salmon belly and loin at fish markets, select grocery stores, and Asian markets.
Watch the video below, part of our LA Times Food “Chef That!” series, to see how MacDonald prepares his salmon belly burger.
