Close friends are coming to spend next weekend with us, and I have been debating about what to serve during their visit. The menus will be a challenge because one of them has recently become a quasi-vegetarian and has given up red meat.

However, she has not eliminated seafood from her diet, so I decided to include a fish dish at one of our meals.

For the evening our guests arrive, I'm planning to serve Salmon Burgers With Cucumbers and Sesame Mayo, a new recipe I've added to my repertoire this year. These fish burgers are different from most others that are made by chopping fish finely (a time-consuming and arduous task), then shaping the patties.

Instead, in this simple version, salmon fillet tails, cut so they are the proper size to fit on hamburger buns, replace the chopped fish patties. The fillets are marinated with flavorings of chopped fresh ginger, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, then grilled and placed on buns spread with delicious sesame-scented mayonnaise.

Thinly sliced strips of cucumber and watercress make perfect garnishes for the burgers.

To go with the salmon burgers, there'll be steamed, pencil-thin asparagus spears and a red-skin potato salad. Lime bars and coffee will complete our first meal of this special weekend.

Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate International, a division of Tribune Media Services.

Salmon Burgers With Cucumbers and Sesame Mayo

Serves 4

4 salmon fillet tails, each 4 to 5 ounces and 1/2 inch thick

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons oil, plus a little extra for grill

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 seedless cucumber (about 12 ounces), peeled

4 good-quality hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Sesame Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

1 small bunch watercress, cleaned and dried

Place salmon fillets, flesh sides down, in shallow nonreactive pan that will hold them comfortably in single layer.

In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, 3 tablespoons oil, ginger, vinegar, salt and cayenne. Pour marinade over fish. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.

With vegetable peeler, shave thin, ribbon-like strips from cucumber. You will need 3 to 4 strips for each sandwich. (You may not need all of the cucumber. Save any extra for another use.) Cover cucumber strips with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature.

Oil grill rack generously and arrange 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill. When hot, add salmon fillets, flesh sides down, and grill 3 minutes. Turn them over and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer until flesh is opaque and flakes easily when pierced with a knife.

Place salmon on platter. Slide knife between flesh and skin to loosen skin. Discard skin from each fillet. Cover fillets loosely with foil while you toast the buns.

Spread both sides of each bun generously with Sesame Mayonnaise. Place fillets on bottom of buns. Top with 3 to 4 folded cucumber strips and then with several watercress sprigs. Cover with remaining bun halves and serve immediately.

Note: Fillets can also be cooked in stove-top grill pan or in skillet. Oil grill pan well or pour enough oil into heavy, medium-size skillet to coat it generously. Place pan or skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add salmon, flesh side down, and cook 3 minutes. Turn and cook about 2 minutes more or until done.

Sesame Mayonnaise

Makes about 1/2 cup

1/2 cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) good-quality mayonnaise

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon plain (not flavored) rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon orange juice

In small nonreactive bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sesame oil, vinegar, orange zest and juice. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.)