Salmon Cakes

With our lettuce exploding in the garden, I've been on the hunt for some good salad recipes the kids will eat (and like). Salmon is always a favorite in our household so around dinnertime I did a quick search to find a recipe for salmon cakes. I've tried several variations of salmon cakes and they have all been fine, but I really love this one, especially with the simple sauce and served over salad. It came from Rachael Ray of all places. I did have to add another egg, but I drained the salmon really, really good..maybe too much? I used a different seasoning than Old Bay because I didn't have it, but I stuck to the recipe everywhere else. These were delicious and very kid friendly. The kids ate all the salad too with no "encouragement."



Salmon Cakes
•Vegetable oil, for frying (or butter)
•3 (6-ounce) portions cooked salmon or 3 (6-ounce) cans salmon, drained well
•1 1/2 cups cracker meal (I used Panko crumbs)
•2 large eggs, beaten
•2 rounded teaspoons Old Bay seasoning blend
•1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
•20 blades fresh chives, snipped or chopped
•2 to 3 tablespoons fresh dill, a handful, finely chopped
•1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
•1 lemon, zested and juiced
•Salad greens
•Coarse salt
•Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
•1/2 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
•1/2 cup chili sauce
•2 tablespoons dill pickle relish

Directions

Heat a large, heavy skillet with 1 inch of frying oil over moderate heat. ( I did not do this, instead just a simple pan fry with a drizzle of olive oil and a pat of butter. It was fine and plenty "fried")

Flake the cooked cooled salmon with a fork. Add cracker meal to the bowl and work through the fish with your hands. Add the eggs, seasoning, pepper, chives, dill, pepper sauce, and the zest of one lemon to the bowl. Combine the ingredients well with your hands. If the mixture is a little wet, add a bit more cracker meal. Form 3-inch patties of salmon cakes 1-inch thick. You should yield 8 to 10 cakes. Fry cakes until golden in a single layer 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towel lined plate.

Toss salad greens with coarse salt and the juice of the lemon you zested. Drizzle the greens with a little extra-virgin olive oil and re-toss the salad to coat.

Combine mayonnaise, chili sauce and relish in a small dish. To serve, place salmon cakes on a bed of baby greens, 2 cakes per person and top with chili mayonnaise sauce.

** The WILD canned salmon at Costco is awesome and makes this a meal I can throw together at a moments notice. Fresh salmon would work too, but we usually eat that up and never have leftovers.