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1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the fillet pieces in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the egg white; pulse a couple of times, just to incorporate.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl; stir in the bread crumbs, scallion, mayonnaise, dill, celery seeds, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. (The burgers can be made ahead up to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.)

Form the salmon mixture into 4 patties; pat gently until firm.

To fry: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the olive oil, then add the salmon patties. Shake the pan several times during the first 30 seconds of cooking to make sure the patties aren’t sticking. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes, then turn and continue cooking until golden and a little firm to the touch, about 3 more minutes.

To grill: Preheat a gas grill to high heat or prepare a high-heat, well-ashed coal bed in a charcoal grill. Generously oil the grill grate and place it 4 to 6 inches from the heat. Place the patties directly over the heat and grill 5 minutes, turning once with a metal spatula, until golden.

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Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Every good burger or fish cake needs a great condiment. Makes about 6 cups

1 large, ripe pineapple, skinned, cored, and cut into 3-inch chunks

1 tablespoon canola oil, plus additional for the grate

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded and minced

½ cup lime juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

Toss the pineapple chunks with the canola oil in a large bowl.

Preheat a gas grill to medium heat or prepare a medium-heat, well-ashed coal bed in a charcoal grill. Alternatively, heat a grill pan over medium heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate. (If using a grill pan, do not add extra oil to the pan.) Place the pineapple chunks directly over the heat or in the pan; grill or cook until lightly browned and warm, about 2 minutes, turning once.

Transfer the pineapple to a cutting board and cool for a couple of minutes. Chop into 1-inch chunks, then toss in a large bowl with the cucumber, jalapeño chile, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and ginger.

To store: Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

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Halibut Burgers

A few finely ground shrimp bind these burgers without any bread crumbs. Makes 4 burgers (can be doubled or tripled)

20 ounces halibut steaks, cut into 4 or 5 large pieces

4 ounces medium shrimp (about 35 per pound), peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons chopped dill fronds or 1 tablespoon dried dill

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

Place the halibut and shrimp in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade; process until finely ground but not pastelike.

Add the dill, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pulse just a few times until well mixed. (The burgers can be made in advance up to this point; transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.)

Pat the mixture into 4 patties, compacting them somewhat so they’ll cohere when cooked.

To fry: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil, then slip the burgers into the pan. Cook until lightly browned, pressing down a couple of times with a metal spatula to compact, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until firm and lightly browned on the other side, about 5 minutes.

To grill: Preheat a gas grill to high heat or prepare a high-heat, well-ashed coal bed in a charcoal grill. Use the oil to grease the grill grate; place it 4 to 6 inches from the heat. Place the patties directly over the heat and grill 6 minutes, turning once with a metal spatula, until golden.

Almond-Crusted Cod Cakes

Fresh cod makes tender, light cakes; these are bound with mashed potatoes. Be gentle when flipping so their crusts stay intact. Serve