Tuna Burgers with Tapenade Aioli

Ingredients

For the Tuna Burgers:

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh tuna steaks, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ciabatta rolls or French bread
• Watercress

For the tapenade aioli:

• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine the tuna, Dijon, chipotle, oil, honey and green onion in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Shape the chopped tuna firmly into 8 round uniform patties about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (The burgers must be very cold to hold their shape when cooking.)

Grill burgers for 3 minutes on each side for medium doneness.

For the tapenade aioli:

Combine olives, capers, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Add the mayonnaise and process until smooth, season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Serve burgers with ciabatta rolls and aioli. Garnish with watercress.