Eric Ripert’s Summer Seafood Burger

- 1/3 cup diced shallot
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter (about 1/4 ounce)
- 18 ounces striped bass fillet
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg, beaten with a fork
- fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup canola oil

INGREDIENTS for the Garnish:
- 4 challah or brioche hamburger rolls
- 1/4 cup aioli (1/4 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 small minced garlic clove)
- 8 oven-roasted tomato pieces (see recipe below)
- 1 head fennel, shaved very thin and crisped in ice water

To make the fish burgers, first sweat the shallot and garlic in butter until they are tender; do not let them color. Allow to cool and reserve.
Grind 12 ounces of striped bass through a large die; cut the remaining 6 ounces into medium dice.
Place all of the striped bass in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Add the cooked shallot and garlic, parsley, mayonnaise, mustards, baking powder and egg. Mix well and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Form a quarter-sized patty and sauté in a pan; taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Form four burger patties with the remaining mixture; dredge each burger in panko bread crumbs, evenly coating each entire burger.
Store on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
When ready to cook the burgers, pour 2 tablespoons canola oil into a pan. Heat the pan and gently place the fish burgers in the pan.
Cook the fish burgers over medium-high until the first side is golden brown in color. Carefully flip the burgers and finish cooking them in the oven for 2-3 minutes.
A metal skewer should be easily inserted into the burger and, when left in for 5 seconds, feel warm when touched to the lip.
In the meantime, toast the rolls. Spread 1 tablespoon aioli over the insides of each roll.
Place each fish burger on the bottom half of a roll. Top with the shaved fennel and 2 oven-roasted tomatoes.
Close the burger and slice in half on the bias, if desired.

Serves 4