Shrimp Burgers with Chipotle Cream and Coconut Peach Salsa

Soooo I've been outta town.

And two things happen when you go out of town.

1) You get spoiled with delicious food other people prepare specially for you and served straight to your table three times a day, and 2) all of your plants die- sad day.

So I get home and all of my herbs are brown.  Apparently they couldn't survive 110 degree weather for five days.  I grieved, buried them (in the trash can nonetheless), and have officially decided that I will just have to buy fresh cilantro at the store for the rest of my life. 

So that's where I went next- to the store.  To buy cilantro.  Can't live without it in my fridge.  Because as you may remember I have a compulsive obsession with salsa.  And my obsession has begun to branch out beyond your standard tomato salsa.  Now we're talking fruit salsa! 

I've made three different salsas in the last 48 hours.  One being this crazy good coconut peach salsa.  And I put it on top of a shrimp burger topped with chipotle cream.  Wowzers - yes, I'm using this word.

The flavors of all this goodness packed between a whole wheat bun is incredible.  It's sweet from the salsa, spicy from the sauce, and savory from the shrimp patty.  They kinda made me feel better about the whole idea that vacation is over and I'm back cooking for myself again. 

So stop furrowing your brow at the idea of these, branch out from plain old ground beef on the grill, and take the plunge and try these already!

Shrimp Burgers with Chipotle Cream

Makes 2 burgers

6 ounces raw or cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp*
1/3 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg white
1 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons chipotle sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 whole wheat buns, toasted

Add shrimp to a food processor and pulse until chopped. Transfer to a bowl and add egg, panko, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder and basil. Mix until combined, then form into patties (form tightly with your hands, trying to prevent cracking). Heat a skillet oven medium heat and add a splash of olive oil or spray with cooking spray, then cook patties until golden on each side, about 3-4 minutes.  (I found my patties to be very fragile so be patient and gentle when flipping them).

In a bowl, stir together sour cream, chipotle sauce, lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread on top of burgers, then layer with peach salsa!

*The original recipe calls for raw shrimp; however, I used frozen, cooked shrimp.  Cooking time in the skillet will remain the same.

Coconut Peach Salsa

1 ripe peach, chopped
2 tablespoons toasted coconut
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Stir ingredients together and serves on top of burgers.

Adapted from How Sweet It Is.