Salmon Cakes

Serves 4

I really love my mother's recipe for salmon patties made with canned salmon, which is in the similar and related recipes links. However, I decided to try using freshly cooked salmon, or even leftover salmon, in a new recipe. This is very easy, delicious and, despite the number of ingredients, a quick meal for a weeknight, especially if you cook extra salmon one night, 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 and grated rind 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 canola oil for frying
• Lemon wedges for garnish

Place salmon, peppers, onions, mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice and rind, 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 8 patties. 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 nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon cakes, in batches if necessary, and brown well, about 4 minutes per side. Turn very gently. (If making in two batches, keep the first batch warm in a 200° oven.) Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes: If making the salmon from scratch, it can 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. You can use white, multigrain or whole wheat breadcrumbs in this recipe.