I have never been a fan of canned tuna. As a child, I would reach for the pimento cheese or slap together a quick PBJ anytime tuna salad was in the works. Tuna aside, though, I always have canned proteins on hand for quick meals: mackerel (definitely), Spam (anytime), sardines (into them), octopus (yes, octopus!). But some of these ingredients, perhaps, miss the most appealing aspect of cooking with canned tuna: affordability.

So when our former editor Rhoda Bonne introduced this recipe using budget-friendly canned salmona product I hadn't previously triedI was stoked. In it, Rhoda turns canned salmon into burger patties that she loads up with roasted red peppers and various other pantry staples. The burgers (which clock in at a bit over $2 each) are slightly sweet, salty, and rich, and since they're cooked in a pan on the stove, they're a great option if you're without a grill this summer.

You can also form the salmon mixture into smaller patties and tuck them into lettuce wraps, or pile them into rice bowls. These versions are especially good if you happen to have some ripe avocado and shaved radish to slide in there, too.

The salmon (at $4.68 for four servings) and red peppers are the most expensive part of these burgers, but there are a few ways to curb that cost, if you'd like. First, you could marinate your own peppers (buy them on sale and make a big batch to have on hand for salmon burgers, romesco, or one of these other 14 dinner ideas). Second, if you have leftover grilled, roasted, or poached salmon that you haven't factored into your meal plan already, this is a great opportunity to use it: just flake it up and let it take the place of the canned stuff. And finally, always toss the ends of bread or the crusts that the kids don't eat into the freezer and turn them into homemade breadcrumbs instead of buying the canister.

The Breakdown

Canned Salmon: $4.68, Lemon: $.89; Roasted Red Peppers: $.85; Mayonnaise: $.80; Hamburger Buns: $.48; Mustard Seeds: $.30; Capers: $.29; Breadcrumbs: $.16; Vegetable Oil: $.06; ; Total: $8.51 ($2.13 per serving). For more on how Epicurious prices out recipes, click here.

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Use It Up

The canned salmon is usually available in 14.75-ounce cans, but you'll need 18 ounces for four patties. You could use the remainder of the second can to make at least two more patties, if you'd like, bumping up the other ingredients accordingly; or you could flake the remaining salmon into your favorite canned tuna recipe. You'll also have four buns leftover from an eight-pack. I highly recommend turning them into breakfast sandwiches. As for those extra capers, this riff on puttanesca is a great way to make your pantry items earn their keep.

Originally Appeared on Epicurious

Go here to see the original:
A Budget-Friendly Canned Fish Dinner That Doesn't Rely on Tuna - Yahoo Lifestyle

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