Un-Canny! Salmon Cakes so good, no one will suspect where they came from.

In an effort for more sustainable seafood, there is a surge in high quality salmon, caught in the wild, canned quickly and guaranteed to surprise your taste buds.  With cans of salmon in your pantry, a meal can be whipped up on short notice.  Excellent wild options are readily available in stores such as Trader Joe’s, Wegmans’s and Whole  Foods and most of the sustainable stock originates from Alaska.  This is salmon far healthier than farm-raised stock.  Transforming this lowly can of salmon into sensational salmon cakes could not be easier.

I have made these salmon cakes dozens of times and they are always scrumptious.  The vegetables can be sustituted for whatever you have on hand, making this a versatile recipe easily adaptable for a midweek family dinner or delectable enough for company.  Even my non-salmon loving son will eat these!

SALMON CAKES

• Servings: 6 large or 10 small cakes
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Ingredients:

• 2-6 oz cans of wild salmon
• 1/3 c diced celery
• 1/3 c diced red onion
• 1/3 c frozen corn
• 3 T olive oil, divided, if frying(1 T olive oil if baking the salmon cakes)
• 1/4 c bread crumbs
• 2 T mayonnaise
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 t dill weed(1T if using fresh)
• 1/4 c Panko bread crumbs, reserved for coating

In a skillet, heat 1 T oil and sauté onion and celery until softened.  Add corn and sauté one additional minute. Remove from heat, let cool, then add to the rest of the ingredients, except 1/4 c of reserved panko crumbs for coating.   Mix well then shape into 6 large or 10 small patties.  Coat each cake on both sides, in panko. Sauté in remaining oil, turning once, until golden.  Conversely, you can bake them on foil or parchment paper that you have sprayed with cooking oil in a 350F oven, middle rack, for about 20 minutes.   Broil for a minute to crisp the coating if baking.  Serve with lemon wedges or your favorite aïoli, remoulade or crab cake sauce.  Sides can include a green salad, potatoes or rice.

Variations:  substitute peppers for the celery or corn; scallions or yellow onion for the red onion; parsley or cilantro for the dill.

A meal ready in minutes, from your pantry:  delicious, good for you and economical:  how wonderful is that?