Simple Salmon Cakes

As cooked by Laurie. Recipe from Eating Well with some variation.

I’m not really much into eating fish… unless you count lobster, clams, shrimp, scallops, oysters and mussels.  But I don’t think they technically fit the definition, though “shellfish” does have the word “fish” in it. I have never even tried sushi.  (I even had to ask Laurie how to spell it right.  I was so far off that even spell check on my MacBook couldn’t help me.)

But Laurie has two great salmon recipes and I love them both.  One is already posted here and uses Salmon fillets.  The other is this one: salmon cakes.  

Like meatloaf.  Just mix everything in a bowl with your hands!

Laurie starts with a recipe from the book Comfort Foods Made Healthy, by Eating Well. I tried to chase down the recipe online, but couldn’t find it, though there are many other salmon cake recipes that may be just as tasty or similarly simple.

This is an easy salmon to use.

Separate into four balls and then flatten into cakes.

Non stick pan and a bit of olive oil makes it easy to cook and flip.

maineforgottenrecipes.com

When the kids were growing up we called this a "combination bite"

What is needed:

• 1 1/2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed (or home fries or mashed potato)
• 1 7-ounce can wild salmon, drained and flaked (see alternative below)
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon low fat mayonnnaise
• 2 teaspoons drained capers, coarsely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredient alternatives:

1. Laurie often makes these cakes a day or two after we go out to breakfast.  Let me explain.  Whatever it is that we order at breakfast seems to be accompanied by home fries.  But for us, after eating an omelette and toast, who need the home fries?  So, they come home with us in a doggie bag and are perfect for this recipe.  
2. For the cakes shown in the photos here, we were short on the home fries.  To help out the recipe, Laurie picked up at the market some refrigerated mashed potatoes with chives made by Simply Potatoes. Some was added to the recipe, and the rest was served as a side dish (barely seen here due to the white dinner plate).
3. Instead of a 7-ounce can of salmon, Laurie uses a 5-ounce pouch.  The smaller amount seems quite adequate.
4. We ate our salmon cakes topped with onion-cucumber relish. I’ve seen some online recipes for this, but haven’t tried any of them. Our jars of onion-cucumber relish were bought from a husband/wife team who have a kiosk on a pier in Wiscasset, Maine. Their Web site is: mainforgottenrecipes.com

What to do:

1. Mash the potatoes into a bowl (this is where starting with mashed potatoes makes it easy).
2. Except for the olive oil, add the rest of the ingredients and mix everything together thoroughly (hands are best) as if you were making meatloaf
3. Form four cakes, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
4. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet 
5. Add the cakes and cook on one side at medium heat until browned (see my photo), for something like 5-7 minutes depending on your stove. 
6. Flip over and cook another 5-7 minutes until browned