Salmon Burgers with Lemon-Herb Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds salmon fillets
• 1/4 chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely grated onion
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil for the grill grid
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 small scallion, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Pull out any pinbones from the salmon with tweezers or needle-nose pliers. Cut the fish away from the skin and discard the skin. Dice the salmon into 1/4-inch pieces, then keep chopping with a gentle rocking motion until it looks coarsely minced, with pieces about 1/8 inch.
2. Transfer the salmon to a bowl. Add the parsley, mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix until combined. Shape the mixture into 4 equal patties, about 5 ounces each, pressing them firmly with your hands so each one is about 1 inch thick. Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for at least 15 minutes.
3. While the patties chill, fill a chimney starter with hardwood charcoal, about 6 quarts, and light it. Once the charcoal is coated in fine gray ash, spread the coals evenly across the bottom of the grill to make an even fire. Put the cooking grate in place and scrub it clean with a grill brush. Set the grill grid over the grate, cover the grill, and heat it for about 5 minutes. The coals should be medium-hot.
4. Dip a small bundle of paper towels lightly in vegetable oil. Grip it with long-handled tongs and rub it over the grill grid. Grill the salmon burgers without covering the grill until the first side is nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn them with a greased metal spatula, then cook the second side, still uncovered, until browned and just barely translucent in the middle, about 3 minutes. Serve right away.
5. For the Creamy Lemon-Herb Sauce, which makes about 1/3 cup, you can use different herbs if parsley or thyme is not on hand. Stir all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, adding pepper to taste. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the flavors come together, at least 30 minutes.