Salmon Cakes With Arugula Salad

I am researching more economical meals to complement my cooking repertoire for my upcoming Mrs. Cleaver experience. Mrs. Cleaver who can't afford to do Coq Au Vin and other elaborate dishes on a routine basis because she will be part of a one income family for a bit. No, the goal now is a variety of good-tasting, budget-friendly, leftover-friendly dishes in rotation with an occasional Do It Up Big meal for special events.

I love meatloaf, of all kinds, with one glaring exception: I don't know what that was that my Substandard Mother called Salmon Loaf, but I thank her for making that monstrosity. It made me want to learn to cook, and cook well.

Crab and salmon cakes are really based on a meatloaf-like mixture, fried to a lovely crispy exterior while staying moist on the inside. Which they should be unless you're making SM's Salmon Loaf with what seemed like a whole box of Saltines.

Ina Garten has a nice recipe, but it's unfathomable now in summer heat. She roasts the salmon and sautes down the veggies, but I couldn't bear the oven heat and the additional stove top time so I modified it for a non-air conditioned environment. I think canned salmon works just fine in this, and nearly pureeing the veggies in the processor leaves you with softened materials.

Plenty of time during the winter to do the original recipe.If you don't have Old Bay seasoning, there's a nice copycat recipe posted below.

I served this on top of a bunch of arugula tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Mangia!

Salmon Cakes

Adapted from Ina Garten

2 14.5 ounce cans pink or Red Sockeye salmon, drained, skin and bones removed and flaked

3/4 cup chopped red onion (1 small onion)

1 1/2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (1 small pepper)

1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)

1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)

1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Combine the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Put in a large bowl with parsley, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix.

Add the salmon and Panko. In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add to the salmon, Panko and vegetable mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into (2 1/2 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.

Old Bay Copycat Seasoning Mix

Adapted from Aliza Green from Field Guide to Herbs & Spices. 

YIELD

1/2 cup

2 tablespoons bay leaf powder

2 tablespoons celery salt (or 1 tbls. ground celery seed and 1 tbls. salt)

1 tablespoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons sweet paprika (smoked paprika is even better if you can find it!)

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1⁄2 teaspoon ground mace

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon