I'm forever amazed at what a difference a year can make
Photo Credit: enkivilliage.com
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January 2, 2013, if someone would have whispered what life would look like a year later, I never would have believed it.
Indeed, my mail is being delivered to a new address. Which, by itself, is a wonderful thing. But really, it's so much more. When I look at the things that matter, the people I'm lucky enough to call friends and family
I'm incredibly thankful. It's been a heck of a good year
So as December's days quietly came to a close, I couldn't help but look ahead. The question of what's going to be for dinner, of course, was near the top of the list
I want to expand my cooking horizons, explore new flavor combinations, prepare dishes from far away countries, experiment with different grains and flours, find new ways to enjoy healthy sweet treats, and master the art of the dinner party
These salmon patties seemed a nice place start
A bit of prep work on the front end, with several ingredients to chop. It was time to use the food processor, and in the end, a patty that's very much worth the effort. They're firm but juicy, the complexity of the individual ingredients begs a taste that's anything but ordinary.
If you finely grind part of the salmon, it will help it bind to the rest, which can be flaked to retain its moisture during cooking. Breadcrumbs keep the patties from becoming as densely packed as (unfortunate) meatloaf.
This approach, along with a few simple seasonings, produce delicious patties in not much more time than it would take to make one from ground beef. The only real trick is to avoid overcooking. No matter if you sauté, broil, or grill these patties, it's best when the center remains the color of salmon
Sometimes we like to sandwich ours in a toasted hamburger bun with lettuce, thinly sliced red onion, a slice of Provolone and a bit of tartar sauce. Other times we eat them plain with the herbed lemon yogurt sauce
There are also a number of them tucked away in the freezer. To be used as a protein source in the future for adding to roasted veggies, wraps, cottage cheese, and salads
Enjoy!
xoxo
~ Adapted Food Network
Salmon Cakes with Herbed Lemon Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- Salmon Patties
- ½ lb salmon
- olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups celery, diced small (~ 4 stalks)
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced small (~ ½ cup)
- 1 small yellow bell pepper diced small (~ ½ cup)
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
- 1 Tbsp capers, drained
- ¼ tsp Tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 cup bread crumbs (gluten-free if you’re avoiding gluten)
- ½ cup mayo (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten (large or XL)
- Herbed Lemon Yogurt Sauce
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
- 2 ½ tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Instructions
- Salmon Patties
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Place the salmon on a sheet pan, skin side down. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked.
- Remove from the oven and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes and refrigerate until cold.
- Meanwhile, place 2 Tbsp of the butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft (~ 15 to 20 minutes)
- Cool to room temperature.
- Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl, and put about a quarter of it into the container of a food processor, along with the mustard
- Turn the machine on, and let it run, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary, until the mix becomes pasty.
- Add the processed salmon back into the bowl with the rest of the flaked salmon
- Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, and eggs. Add the vegetable mixture and mix well.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into 10 (2 ½ to 3-ounce) cakes.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
- In batches, add the salmon cakes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned.
- Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a preheated 250° F oven and serve hot.
- Serve with Herbed Lemon Yogurt Sauce
- Herbed Lemon Yogurt Sauce
- In a small bowl add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, horseradish, and 2 ½ teaspoons thyme in a small bowl.
- Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper
- Mix until well combined
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