Description
Ina Garten’s salmon cakes blend fresh Pacific salmon with zesty herbs and crisp breadcrumbs for an elegant coastal-inspired appetizer. Delicate cakes pair perfectly with tangy remoulade sauce, offering a delightful balance of flavors you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ lb (0.23 kg) fresh salmon
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) small-diced celery (4 stalks)
- ¾ cup (177 ml) small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
- ½ cup (118 ml) small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
- ½ cup (118 ml) small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
- ½ cup (118 ml) good mayonnaise
- 4 tbsps (60 ml) unsalted butter
- 3 slices stale bread, crusts removed
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tsps (10 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) capers, drained
- ¼ cup (59 ml) minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 ½ tsps (7.5 ml) crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
- Good olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Salmon Preparation: Roast salmon at 350°F on parchment-lined tray, brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook 15-20 minutes until easily flaked, then refrigerate to firm texture.
- Vegetable Infusion: Sauté red onion, celery, and bell peppers in butter and olive oil. Introduce parsley, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and crab boil seasoning. Cook 5-7 minutes over medium heat, then cool to room temperature.
- Breadcrumb Transformation: Process stale bread into crumbs, toast in oven for 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Cake Assembly: Flake chilled salmon, blend with toasted breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and eggs. Fold in cooled vegetable mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes to enhance cake formation.
- Shaping and Cooking: Form 10 uniform salmon cakes with moistened hands. Fry in butter and olive oil over medium heat, 3-4 minutes per side until golden-brown and crispy.
- Serving: Present salmon cakes immediately with lemon salad or preferred dipping sauce for a vibrant culinary experience.
Notes
- Salmon Chilling Tip: Refrigerate cooked salmon for at least 30 minutes to help the cakes hold their shape and prevent crumbling during cooking.
- Bread Crumb Technique: Toast bread crumbs briefly to add extra crunch and prevent soggy salmon cakes, ensuring a crispy exterior.
- Moisture Management: Use moistened hands when forming cakes to prevent sticking and create more uniform, professional-looking patties.
- Flavor Balancing Act: Allow vegetable mixture to cool completely before mixing to prevent overcooking eggs and maintain distinct vegetable textures and flavors.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg