There is just something about a homemade cake. And I don’t really care if it’s chocolate, carrot, apple, etc. as long as it’s moist and delicious. And that goes for the savory varieties of cakes also.

To my mind, there is nothing worse than a crab or salmon cake that has the consistency and look of particle board that has gotten wet! Now granted, I have never tasted wet particle board, but I have an active imagination. And what my imagination tells me is that wet particle board tastes a lot like a poorly prepared crab or salmon cake! (If any of you have firsthand knowledge on this subject, please don’t hesitate to correct me if I’m wrong.)

Anyway, what I am trying to say in my own indomitable way, is that these salmon cakes are not dry. They are delightfully tender, moist, and juicy. They are also very easy to build, especially if you use planned over salmon, which it what I usually use when I make these cakes. I look for salmon on sale, then buy 2 pounds rather than just one. Then I cook both pounds setting one pound aside to use within the next couple of days. Then with my planned over salmon I either prepare this dish or one of a handful of other dishes like Salmon Caesar Salad or Salmon, Bacon, and Corn Chowder. (Both recipes can be found on this site.)

One additional detail I should really mention before I shut up so that you can go to the store and buy the ingredients to make these little darlings for dinner. These salmon cakes are absolutely delicious. (I know, you probably already ascertained that little detail since I posted the recipe in the first place.) But I still felt it was obligatory to state the obvious. (A little compulsion left over from my days in human resources. “Miss Smith, you were applying for “work” when you came to us for employment. So now, please just sit down and do the job for which you were hired.”) I loved my job! But back to salmon.

So keeping in mind that salmon is a good source of niacin, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B6, choline, pantothenic acid, biotin, and potassium, make up a batch of these tender and delicious salmon cakes at your earliest convenience. They truly are a salmon lover’s delight. You might even be surprised if one of your family members, who professes to hate salmon, suddenly becomes a huge fan. It has happened before and it can happen again. Enjoy

• 2 T. unsalted butter, divided
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 T. finely chopped red bell pepper
• ¼ c. finely diced celery
• 2 T. finely minced shallot or green onion
• 1 egg
• ½ c. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp. hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot Sauce)
• 1½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T. finely minced fresh parsley
• 1 T. capers, drained
• 10 finely crushed unsalted or low salt saltine crackers (I use the kind with no additional salt on the top)
• 1 lb. cooked salmon, flaked
• ¾ c. Panko bread crumbs, or more as needed

In a large frying pan, bring 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to medium-high heat. Add the red pepper, celery, and shallot; sauté for about 4 minutes or just until the veggies are starting to soften. Take pan off heat, remove the veggies with a slotted spoon, and set veggies aside to cool. (Don’t wash the pan. You are going to be frying the salmon cakes in this same pan.)

Meanwhile lightly beat the egg in a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, black pepper, parsley, and capers. Stir in the finely crushed saltines, the cooled vegetables, and the salmon. Form the mixture into 8-10 small flat cakes. (Will be messy!)  Coat each cake with Panko and place on a wax paper lined plate*. Cover and  refrigerate for at least 2 hours before frying. When ready to cook, heat the remaining butter and olive oil in the reserved fry pan. Fry cakes over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. (About 4 minutes per side.)

If you enjoy a sauce with your salmon cakes, may I recommend Old Bay Aioli. (See recipe below.)

*I use my 2-inch diameter ice cream scoop, drop the balls in a small bowl filled with the Panko crumbs, roll the balls around in the Panko, and then place the coated balls on a wax paper lined platter. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand.

OLD BAY AIOLI

• ½ c. light mayonnaise (I use Best Foods Light Mayonnaise)
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp. granulated garlic
• ¼ tsp. sriracha
• 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• kosher salt to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, granulated garlic, sriracha, lemon juice, Old Bay Seasoning, and pepper. Add salt if needed.