Salmon Patties

I am always looking for new ways to fix salmon.  Most of the time Jeff eats whatever I fix without complaining, but anytime dinner involves fish, I can just tell he isn’t too excited about it.  We both want to be healthy, though, so I continue to look for better ways to incorporate fish into our diet that makes it more palatable for us.  Jeff had asked me to try making salmon patties as he remembered liking them as a kid.  These salmon patties were perfect for both of us.  They were so flavorful, moist, and didn’t taste fishy at all.  And, it was a great summer meal because you saute the patties in a skillet and don’t have to use your oven.

One of the things I like most about this dish is that it is also full of vegetables.  It gives the patties great texture and flavor not to mention even more healthy ingredients for your body.  They are sauteed in oil, but using olive oil made me feel a little better about that.  So overall, I made these in order to make us more healthy, but I would make them again, just because we both liked them so much.  That makes for a doubly great recipe, and one that I know I will be making over and over again.

There is quite a bit of chopping involved and a cooling period for the patties before frying them so just make sure you start early enough.  You could even chop the vegetables and bake the salmon earlier in the day, and finish the dish right before dinner.  I tried making up the patties the day before, and then sauteing them the next day, and they came out great.  However you do it, I highly recommend this recipe for getting omega-3’s into your diet and keeping your family happy!

• Servings: 10
• Time: 2 hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 1/2 lb. fresh salmon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3/4 c small-diced red onion
• 1 1/2 c small-diced celery
• 1/2 c small-diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 c small-diced yellow bell pepper
• 1/4 c minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbsp. capers, drained
• 1/4 tsp. hot sauce (recommended:  Tabasco)
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp. crab boil seasoning (recommended:  Old Bay)
• 3 slices stale bread, crusts removed or 1 c seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 c good mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. 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.
3. Meanwhile, place 2 Tbsp. of the butter, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat.  Cook until vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  Turn off heat.   Add parsley and stir into the vegetables.  Cool to room temperature.
4. Break the bread slices in pieces and process the bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade or measure out store-bought bread crumbs.
5. You should end up with 1 c bread crumbs either way.  Place the bread crumbs on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for a few minutes until lightly browned, tossing occasionally.  Watch carefully as they burn quickly.
6. Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl.  Add the toasted bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs.
7. Add the vegetable mixture and mix well.
8. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Shape into 10 (2 1/2 to 3 ounce patties) approximately 3/4 inches thick.
9. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter and 2 Tbsp. olive oil on medium low heat.  In batches, add salmon patties, and fry 2 1/2 to 4 minutes per side until browned.  Drain on paper towels, and keep warm in 250 degree oven until ready to serve.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Recipe slightly adapted by Cook AZ I Do, originally from Ina Garten at Food Network.com