Delicious Salmon Cakes Recipe - Keeper of the Home (2024)
Real Food | Recipes
ByKeeper of the Home
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?
Use a light touch to shape them into patties. 4) Don't flip them too soon: When frying the salmon patties, wait until they're browned and crispy on the first side before flipping them. This will ensure that they hold together and don't fall apart.
Salmon patties, or salmon cakes, are wonderfully easy to make. You make salmon patties with just a base of canned salmon, shredded bread (or breadcrumbs or even saltines), chopped onion, and egg to bind it all into patties. Then, these salmon cakes are quickly fried.
I make a tangy, creamy mustard sauce to go along with these is bursting with fresh flavor, and compliments the salmon perfectly. Salmon cakes are perfect for quick weeknight meals, just freeze the salmon patties on a parchment lined baking sheet, then pop into a freezer bag.
No breadcrumbs are needed: Instead, I use a small amount of almond flour. It adds a lovely nuttiness, and doesn't overpower the salmon flavor the way breadcrumbs can often do. If I'm making salmon patties, I surely want them to taste like salmon and not bread!
Once you have the right moisture balance in your salmon patty mix, a helpful step is to refrigerate everything before you form the cakes. This will make the mixture easier to work with. Then you can scoop the cakes and put them on a sheet pan to cool down in the fridge once again.
That white gunk seeping from your salmon is called albumin. It's a protein—not fat—that pushes to the surface of the fish when you heat it. "Once this protein reaches temperatures between 140 and 150 degrees, its moisture is squeezed out, and it congeals and turns white," according to America's Test Kitchen.
Canned salmon is packed with the same nutrients as fresh salmon, meaning these salmon patties are just as good for you as if they were made with fresh. It also costs a fraction of the price.
What Is the Difference Between Salmon Patties and Salmon Burgers? The main difference between my Salmon Patties and this salmon burger is the quantity of ingredients in the filling and the use of binder ingredients. My salmon patties use canned salmon, egg, breadcrumbs, Greek yogurt, vinegar, and Dijon mustard.
Serve with a variety of sides, such as brown rice, crispy potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a side salad. Salmon patties can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
Salmon plays well with potatoes, cabbage, salad, rice or noodles. It's great with classics such as cucumbers, onions, lemon, dill and garlic. And fruit! A sauce made with berries, pineapple or mangoes is a delight.
Overmixing can break down the structure. Allowing the salmon mixture to rest before shaping the patties is crucial. Cooking the salmon patties at too high a temperature or for too short a time can result in a mushy interior.
If you add too much egg, for instance, or the canned fish isn't properly drained, the mixture will be too wet and the cakes will fall apart. Too many breadcrumbs, on the other hand, will make your cakes dry and crumbly.
If the salmon appears mushy or falls apart, it is likely overcooked. Firmness: When you press down gently on the flesh with a fork or your finger, it should feel slightly resistant but still give way easily. Cooked salmon should be firm but still moist.
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.
If you try to flip it too soon before the meat has had a chance to fully cook on one side, the meat won't be done enough on that side to hold the rest of the patty together, and it will fall apart much easier.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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