Salmon Cakes

I sent my Kansas cousin Paula a copy of one of Paula Deen's cookbooks, because so often, in my previous parish in Georgia, I'd discover that Paula Deen was the source for the recipes I'd liked the most at a covered dish supper or a luncheon. Of course before I sent the book I had to sneak a peek. And I soon ran to the library to pick up more Paula Deen cookbooks. The one that caught my eye was Paula Deen's The Deen Family Cookbook. A recipe for crab cakes inspired me to do something similar with salmon. Furthermore, I had this new bottle of hot sauce from my friend Carolyn. Called "Dat'l Do-it Datil Pepper Hot Sauce," it is the perfect combination of sweet and hot--plus it's got a very cute picture of a dragon wearing a pink baseball cap on the front! And it is from St. Augustine, Florida.

So this is what I came up with:

Poach 12 oz wild Sockeye salmon. I bought mine frozen and the skin was already off.

Meanwhile, combine:
1 egg
1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1-2 leafy stalks of celery, finely chopped
1/2 large tomato, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons of Dat'l Do-it
2 Tablespoons Grey Poupon Coarse Harvest Mustard
1 Tablespoon curry powder
Flake the poached salmon into this mixture.
Add enough Italian bread crumbs to bind the mixture so it can be formed into 6 patties.
Fry the patties in oil until nicely browned on each side.
Drain on paper towels.

Serve on a bed of greens with tomato slices, avocado cubes, and sea-salted almonds.
Drizzle with Lemon-soy mayonnaise*. (2 patties per person for a meal, 1 per person for a salad course)

*Stir zest and juice of 1/2 lemon and 2 Tbsp. soy sauce into 1/2 cup mayonnaise.


I bet you could make this recipe into little balls and fry them and serve them with Lemon-soy dipping sauce for an appetizer.

Wayne said "Remember this recipe. It's a keeper!" Between Friday night's pound cake and these salmon cakes, we're going to have to get more serious about exercising.