I used a recipe from my all time favorite The Fannie Farmer Cookbook: Anniversary and turned crab cakes into salmon cakes tonight, using the salmon leftover from last night, breadcrumbs and all. Another hit!
Salmon Cakes from Leftover Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked salmon
- 1 egg
- 6 Tbs mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 Tbs Dijon mustard
- 1 green onion, minced
- 1 Tbs dried parsley
- a dash or two or three of cayenne
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup oil
Instructions
- Mix the egg, mayo, lemon juice, mustard, green onion, parsley, and cayenne. Add the salmon (or crab, as I’ve done in the past) and mix well. This actually came out a bit moister than necessary. It tasted absolutely wonderful but might have been a bit easier to handle had I started with 3-4 Tbs of mayo and increased as needed. Still, it worked. Anyway, mix it all together, add the salmon and mix well. Taste and adjust. I ended up doubling the amount of mustard called for in the original and getting brave enough to add the cayenne even though I was cooking for kids. It was tasty, but not too spicy, and the kids devoured it!
- Heat the oil and butter over medium high heat. I made bread crumbs by putting a couple of slices of bread in the food processor and whirling it into crumbs only, I admit, because I’d run out of the dried Progresso crumbs I normally keep on hand. But they were great. I used to always make my own bread crumbs (from the heels no one wants to eat) and have gotten out of the habit, a flaw I think I will rectify.
- Put your bread crumbs on some small plate or pie pan. Pick up a handful of the salmon mixture and pat it into a patty shape, then press down into the crumbs. Turn over and press down, then gently pick up and place in the hot oil and butter. Repeat until your pan is full, but not crowded. After a couple of minutes, slice the patties around so any hot spots get shared. When they’re browned on the one side, flip them over carefully and cook until browned on the other side, about 4 minutes on each side.
- Serve hot as is, or with the tartar sauce of your choice. A simple mixture of mayonnaise, lemon juice, and capers goes very well! If you need it red, add a shot of ketchup. And/or serve with slices of lemon.
This actually came out a bit moister than necessary. It tasted absolutely wonderful but might have been a bit easier to handle had I started with 3-4 Tbs of mayo and increased as needed. Still, it worked.
I made bread crumbs by putting a couple of slices of bread in the food processor and whirling it into crumbs only.
My kids devoured these, but then, they’re both salmon lovers. One has put dibs in on one of the three patties that were left for her lunch tomorrow. I have made similar fish cakes with leftover crab before and I believe once with canned salmon. These were unbelievably better. One of the better “leftover” recipes I have I think.
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