But the crab cake model is not meant merely for the crab. All
kinds of fish can find their way to your plate being held together by a little
emulsion and softly sautéed to golden perfection. In fact, that’s how fish cakes
were born—using up leftovers. Almost every cuisine on the planet has their own
form of fish cake that’s been boiled, beer-battered, fried or pan-seared.
My last tango with fish cakes was with some leftover salmon.
Dinner ended up being a riff on Niçoise salad with fish cakes instead of filets.
Salmon is a great base for this dish. It’s got lots of flavor and enough fatty
oil of its own to keep it together. But as with any fish cake, the flavor has
to come through with a focus on the fish and not the filler.
As filler goes, your best bet is with the cracker scene and
not breadcrumbs. Bread is heavy. Crackers are lighter and you don’t need much
to act as a binder. I use either Saltines or oyster crackers. Light and puffy,
they add just enough without being overbearing.
Here’s the recipe:
1 lb. cooked salmon
1 red pepper
2 scallions, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ c. parsley, chopped
½ c mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
1 c. Saltines
Shred the cooked salmon with your hands. Whisk together the
mayo, egg, mustard, paprika, and Tabasco. Add to the salmon. Mix well. In a
pan, sauté the garlic and pepper with a little butter or oil (your
choice). Allow to cool, then add to the salmon mixture with the parsley and scallions. Whiz up the crackers in
a food processor and incorporate into the salmon. Form into little patties.
Sauté the patties in either butter or olive oil. Serve immediately.
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