Rush Hour Gourmet

Why bother with canned salmon when fresh is readily available? Well, Pacific wild salmon, the most sustainable, is very seasonal - and pricey. Most canned salmon is of the wild variety and quite delicious, but can be dry. So for this recipe, I added ingredients to make moist, but still healthy, cakes.

Makes 6 servings

11/2 cups thinly sliced seedless cucumber

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided

1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

Two 6-ounce cans boneless, skinless salmon

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

2 to 3 teaspoons prepared wasabi

1 cup crushed sesame flavored thin rice crackers (about 32)

1. In a small bowl, toss together the cucumber, ginger, vinegar, salt and sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Reserve the skillet.

3. Add the salmon to the onion along with the mayonnaise, wasabi, crushed crackers and 1/4 cup of the liquid from the marinated cucumbers. Form the mixture into 6 burgers.

4. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add 11/2 tablespoons of the remaining oil. Add the salmon burgers. Cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 11/2 tablespoons of oil, flip cakes and cook on the second side, another 3 minutes.

5. Top each salmon cake with a mound of the pickled cucumber and serve.

Per serving: 230 calories; 13 grams of fat; 45 milligrams cholesterol; 15 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 2 grams sugar; 16 grams protein; 500 milligrams sodium.