My salmon cakes have always been a hit with our family, but when a good friend’s daughter had them with us and raved about them to her mom, I knew it was a “must share”. (And now you have the recipe, sweet Reese, so your mommy can make them.)
Even those who don’t care for fish might be happily surprised to find that these don’t taste all that fishy. They are well-seasoned, and frying anything in good fatscan only make them taste even better. As a perk, they’re a particularly inexpensive way to put nourishing seafoods on the table.
The Way We Get More Salmon in Our Diet
This was originally inspired by the Fish Cakes recipe in Nourishing Traditions. That recipe required fresh fish and fish roe, neither of which I have on hand or can afford to buy very often. I wanted to convert this recipe so that I could make it up anytime, as a way to get more fish in our diets.
Using canned foods isn’t a preference for me, and we avoid most canned goods due to BPA exposure from the linings of the cans. I’ve eliminated almost all other canned foods or found BPA-free versions, but fresh and even frozen salmon is expensive, but so incredibly nutritious and beneficial for our health.
Seafoods were one of THE most valued foods among the traditional tribes that Weston Price studied, and wherever he found cultures subsisting heavily on seafoods, he found exceptionally strong bones and robust health. Calcium and other nutrients in the bones, omega-3 fatty acids (including DHA and EPA for children’s growing brains and pregnant/nursing moms), and all the other goodness that resides in wild salmon is just nourishing beyond belief, and so that’s why our family still eats a lot of canned salmon.
2cans salmonwith bones, but drained -- Always choose wild salmon, never farmed. You can use pink salmon, which is cheaper, although my strong preference is for red sockeye salmon.
2free-range eggs
1cupbread crumbsany bread works- homemade wheat, spelt or kamut, gluten free, sourdough, etc.
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to tasteI just add a little- these have quite a bit of flavor already
Instructions
Drain canned salmon, then dump into a medium sized bowl. Using the back of a fork, break salmon apart and crush bones. Mix in eggs, then bread crumbs, and lastly, all of the seasonings.
Preheat a cast-iron pan to medium heat, and add a few pats of butter and some extra virgin olive oil (you can do just one or the other, or even use coconut oil instead, but the mix gives such a great flavor).
You'll have to use your hands to shape these patties as you go to make them. I just put a big dollop in my hands, shape it best as I can, and flatten slightly once in the pan if needed. I don't bother to pre-shape them, but just do it as I go.
Once cooked halfway through and nicely browned (2-3 minutes), flip over and allow to cook all the way (another couple minutes).
Notes
Makes 8-10 cakes, depending on size-- just enough for the 5 eaters in our home when served with other side dishes.
I frequently serve these with sweet potato fries (made similarly to these baked french fries– one of these days I’ll have to post a true tutorial, since they are among my children’s favorite foods), for a very easy dinner. They’re also good alongside any sort of salad– green, broccoli salad, coleslaw, what have you, or even with a plate of raw veggies and dip.
Although they taste wonderful just as they are, they’re also quite tasty with homemade tartar sauce. I don’t have a specific recipe but this is basically how I make mine:
Start with about 1 cup ofmayonnaisein a mason jar (homemade mayois best)
Take 1 good-sized dill pickleand mince it as finely as you can
Add a bit of pickle juice or lemon juice (or a bit of both) into the mayo, along with the minced pickle, and stir it well.
That’s it! Super easy. It tastes best if it has some time to sit, to allow flavors to mix.
Do you eat seafood very often? What are your favorite ways to get fish into your family?
When making salmon patties, it can be so frustrating to form the patties perfectly only to have them fall apart in the skillet. It is important to have a binder and an extender to keep the patties from falling apart. In this recipe, the egg acts as the binder and the breadcrumbs or saltines act as the extender.
All you have to do is scoop them (make sure they're the same size), flatten them, then set a timer and turn the cakes over halfway through the bake. Make sure to grease the pan or use a sheet of parchment paper to prevent the patties from sticking, and you'll have perfect-looking salmon patties every time.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked salmon cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once cool, lay them out on one (or more) foil-lined baking sheet(s) and cover them loosely with plastic wrap. Freeze the patties in a single layer for about an hour, then remove them from the freezer.
Before cooking the patties if you find that the mixture is not sticking together to form the salmon patties, it's probably due to the mixture being too dry to too wet. The binding process is similar to making meatloaf and you may need to add in some additional breadcrumbs if too wet or lemon juice if too dry.
It might be necessary to add more cracker crumbs. The salmon patties will fall apart if they are too wet. You need enough cracker crumbs to bind all the ingredients together. So that the patties will hold together and not fall apart.
Excess moisture can contribute to a mushy texture in the patties. The binding ingredients may not be in the right proportion. Overmixing can break down the structure. Allowing the salmon mixture to rest before shaping the patties is crucial.
How do you keep fish cakes from falling apart? Let them cook & stop playing with them while they are cooking. If you touch them more than 2 times during cooking, it's too many. Place in pan, flip, done.
Utilize Citrus. Citrus and salmon pair naturally. Place a layer of lemon slices underneath the salmon for a bright flavor. The lemon slices also create a barrier between the grill and the salmon so it doesn't stick to the grill grates.
They can be cooked straight out of the freezer, without adding any fuss or hours to the cooking time. In fact, with our tips and tutorials, you can enjoy salmon burgers from freezer to table in 20 minutes flat.
Store your leftover salmon patties in a shallow, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The best way to reheat them is in a skillet on the stove (to re-crisp them), but you can use the microwave in a pinch.
So while generally there is no noticeable difference in taste between fresh fish and frozen, there are times when it can carry a certain “frozen” taste. If prepared right, though, it's practically impossible to tell the difference between a fish you took out of the freezer and a fish you just pulled out of the water.
Salmon does not need much seasoning to be flavorful. You can season it with just salt and black pepper or with a combination of lemon juice, fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, butter, minced garlic, and any other flavors you desire. 3. Dry the salmon to ensure crispy skin.
Serve as an appetizer or make into a meal with rice and your favorite roasted veggies. Other sauce options for dippings: tartar sauce, ketchup, bbq, teriyaki sauce, lemon cream sauce, honey mustard and or garlic dill sauce are all delicious options!
Salmon that's gone bad will often feel almost like it's about to fall apart, or sometimes mushy. Other things to watch for when examining your fish by touch are slimy or sticky residues, both indicators of spoilage.
Grill salmon flesh side down FIRST, then flip over once.
Place the salmon fillets on the grill flesh side down first (so the skin is facing you). Raw salmon is relatively firm, so starting it off with the flesh facing down is a great way to get some nice grill marks on the salmon without it falling apart.
"Chill your burgers for at least an hour before you cook them," says senior food editor, Barney. "This will help them keep their shape when they're cooking and stop them falling apart." You can also freeze them before cooking.
A classic choice is breadcrumbs, but you could integrate crushed up crackers, almond flour, or even mashed (or smashed) potatoes into your fish cake mix. Not only will these ingredients help to hold your fish cake together; they'll help to keep your cakes from becoming dense pucks of protein.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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