Shrimp/catfish burgers with Asian slaw

On January 31 I posted a shrimp/catfish burger recipe. This one is new - and better!

This makes for a very inexpensive meal (with a vegetable and some rice to accompany), especially if you find shrimp on sale. It makes no difference what size the shrimp are since you're going to cut them into pieces anyhow.

We scored a huge shopping victory yesterday at Sunflower Market when we found a 2 lb. bag of frozen "easy peel" shrimp for $7.84. That's the least I've paid for shrimp in memory.

We keep an eclectic mix of ingredients on hand, so making these Asian-style burgers didn't require buying anything. Substitutions: a splash of red wine vinegar for the Chinese vinegar; any hot sauce and some minced garlic in place of chili/garlic sauce; some toasted sesame seeds and some vegetable oil in place of sesame oil; shallot in place of scallion; lemon juice in place of lime.

Shrimp/catfish burgers with Asian slaw

1 8 oz. catfish filet
8 oz. shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2-3 tsp sesame oil (to taste)
1 tbsp chile/garlic paste
1 egg white
½ tsp kosher salt (1/3 tsp if table salt)
½ tsp white pepper

Asian slaw
¼ head cabbage sliced thin
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 shallot, green and white parts cut in 2” julienne
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese black vinegar
juice of ½ a lime

Cut the catfish into ½” pieces. Do the same with the shrimp.

Place the fish, shrimp, and all other ingredients into a food processor. Pulse to a rough puree.

Put 1 tsp of the mixture into a small bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Form the mixture into 2 large burgers. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

In the meantime, assemble the slaw. Put the cabbage in a large bowl. Whisk together all remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the cabbage and toss to coat.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, add the burgers. Cook for about 5 minutes per side. The way to tell when they are done is to press your index finger on the top of one of them. The cooking is finishing if there is little or no “give.”

Serve on your favorite burger rolls topped with slaw.