SALMON CAKES

I really like my mother's recipe for Salmon Patties made with canned salmon, which is linked below. However, I decided to try using freshly cooked salmon, or even leftover salmon, in a new recipe. This is very easy, and is a quick meal for a weeknight, especially if you cook extra salmon for a meal, then use the leftovers for the cakes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked salmon, flaked (see notes below.)
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (can use light or canola)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tablespoons dried parsley leaves)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups finely crumbled fresh breadcrumbs, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil for frying
• Lemon wedges for garnish

Place salmon, peppers, onions, mustard, mayonnaise, lemon, salt, pepper, dill and parsley in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Add the egg and stir to combine. Stir in 1/2 to 2/3 cup breadcrumbs. (Add just enough breadcrumbs to bind everything together. The mixture should still be quite moist.) Form into 6 to 8 cakes, depending on desired size and serving portions. Coat each cake in the remaining breadcrumbs, shaking off excess crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, to set.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon cakes, in batches if necessary, and brown well, about 4 minutes per side. Turn very gently. Serve, drizzled with a little lemon juice.

Notes: If making the salmon from scratch, it may be poached, grilled, broiled or sautéed with just a little salt, pepper and a drizzle of oil. When cooked and cooled, remove the skin and flake the fish well with your fingers or the back of a fork. You will need about 3/4-pound salmon fillets to make the 2 cups. If you have a little more or less cooked salmon than called for, adjust the amount of breadcrumbs as needed. Sometimes, when we have salmon fillets for dinner, I purposely make extra so that I can make the cakes the following night. I prefer to use multigrain breadcrumbs in this recipe, but you certainly can use white.