Recipe: Salmon Cakes

Ger: I hope this is a new recipe for you....

Salmon Cakes

Serves 8 as an Appetizer, 4 as an Entree

1 pound poached or baked salmon - chilled, boneless, and skinless
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 slices fresh white bread, crusts removed
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Old Bay brand seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
vegetable oil for sauteing

**Note: The "secret" of a perfect salmon cake is to use the finest,
freshest salmon money can buy, and plenty of it!

Poach or bake salmon. Remove all bones and skin. Cut into pieces.

Saute the diced sweet peppers in the 1 tbs. vegetable oil until wilted
and set aside to cool. Place the bread in a food processor fitted with
a metal blade, and process until finely crumbled. Measure and
reserve 2 tbs. of the bread crumbs to use in the filling. The remaining
bread crumbs will be used to coat the salmon cakes.

Mix the salmon with the sweet peppers, garlic, jalapeno peppers,
cilantro leaves, and mayonnaise. Add the seasoning powder, 2 tbs.
of bread crumbs, and salt and pepper. Mix well, then refrigerate 20
minutes before continuing.

Cover a work surface with waxed paper sprinkled with the reserved
bread crumbs. Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, form 8
equal-sized portions of salmon. With the palm of your hand, pat
each portion in to a disk-shaped cake approximately 1/4-inch thick.
It is important for the salmon cakes to be the same thickness so that
they will cook uniformly. Press each cake into the bread crumbs,
turning them so they coast evenly on all sides. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to prevent the cakes from crumbling during cooking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. No more than 30 minutes before
you plan to serve the salmon cakes, add enough vegetable oil to
cover the bottom of an ovenproof saute pan. Heat until just before it
begins to smoke. Add the salmon cakes gently, being careful not to
crowd the pan. (Cook them in two batches if necessary.) When the
salmon cakes are well browned on both sides, bake them 6 minutes
to ensure that they are fully cooked and hot at the center. Serve with
Chili Mayonnaise or mayonnaise flavored with mustard or
horseradish, and garnish with a small salad.