Fresh Salmon Cakes – Uncanny

Salmon cakes are one of my go-to, emergency meals. We keep a few cans of salmon in the pantry, and when faced with that dreaded "there's nothing in the house to eat" situation, we pop one open, and are soon enjoying a batch of these easy, affordable, and pretty delicious patties.

That's the typical scenario, but every once in a while I like to use fresh salmon. Salmon is one of those products, like chicken, that's very easy to get into a rut with. People generally find a few recipes that work for them, and just stay with those, but this fairly simple preparation should be easy to add to anyone's rotation.

Like other seafood "cakes," we want to use the minimum amount of filler. Just a touch of breadcrumb is all you need here, as the raw salmon is the real binder. That's one of the big advantages over canned salmon cakes, where we're cooking something that's already cooked. The result is something much moister, and more tender.

As far as flavorings go, you're faced with an infinite number of possibilities. Using this basic method, you can go hog-wild with variations, including, but not limited to, actual hog parts. These are also perfect for a burger bun, as well as a base for poached eggs. That may be my favorite use. I hope you give these fresh salmon cakes a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 salmon cakes:

• 1 tbsp extra olive oil
• 1/4 finely minced onion
• 2 tbsp finely minced red pepper
• 2 tbsp minced celery
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 1/4 pounds fresh wild salmon, trimmed, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (any will work)
• 2 clove finely minced garlic
• pinch cayenne
• pinch Old Bay
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• additional olive oil for frying