Salmon Cakes with Creamy Dill Sauce

Hello Salmon!!  So after The Cyclist caught that big fish we had some salmon to make!  Thankfully that hubs of mine spent some time working at our local co-op years ago and learned some filleting skillz.  Unfortunately we don't have a fillet knife so there were some scraps left over.  That's okay though, because those fillet leftovers are perfect for salmon cakes!

You know, fishing is my new favorite sport that I don't really do.  Remember cycling?  Well, that bike of The Cyclist's has been hanging in the garage since early June.  Part of the cycling hiatus was filled with salmon fishing, which has turned out to be a worthwhile endeavor. 

For example, I finally added some Old Bay to my seasoning cabinet.  Kind of sad that it took catching a salmon for me to do that but well....they don't sell it at Trader Joe's, so what can I say?  

Where cycling required both of us to often get up early and haul out, fishing requires The Cyclist get up early while I sleep...

...and, he's home in time to enjoy Saturday pancakes with me and The Munchkin.

I suppose there are some downsides to all of this fishing business.....

...watching fishing isn't really as exciting as watching cycling...

...but cycling doesn't produce salmon cakes either.

That said, we miss our cycling friends and the cycling life.  So, next season The Cyclist will be joining the boys + one awesome lady over at Folsom Bike.

Which also means I probably won't be frying as many tasty morsels mixed with mayo in oil.  Everything in moderation I suppose.

But as of now, salmon season is running strong and cycling season is winding down....I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for a few more salmon before the bike makes its triumphant return.

Cheers my friends, to salmon and cycling.  The Cyclist and I are looking forward to getting back into the mix!

We may even have some salmon to share.

Now, let's see how these cakes stack up, shall we?

Yield: 6 burger sized cakes or 8 regular sized cakes

Ingredients:

Creamy Dill Sauce (inspired by this recipe)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Best Foods with Olive Oil again)
1/4 cup whole fat organic plain yogurt
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. fresh chopped dill
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Salmon Cakes
1 lb. of salmon, cooked (instructions below)
1 celery stalk, chopped small
1/4 cup parsley, chopped small
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 small red bell pepper, chopped small
1/2 cup fresh cooked corn*
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 tbsp. mayonnaise (I used Best Foods with Olive Oil**)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. Sriracha
1.5 cups Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs well beaten

How to:

Start by making the creamy dill sauce.
Add all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Place in refrigerator.
Season salmon with a bit of pepper to taste and cook on a broiling pan (spray with cooking oil), on low broil, until you start to see the fat.  It won't take long to cook the fish, so make sure you don't over-do it. Cooking will probably take less than 10 minutes.
Take out the salmon out and let it cool.
Start a small pot of water to boil to cook your corn (I used one cob and cut in half so it would fit in a small pot).
Once the water is boiling, add your corn and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare your other fixin's.
Chop celery, parsley, green onion and red bell pepper.  Add all to a large bowl.
Once the salmon is cool, flake or shred it with two forks and add it to the bowl (leave out any skin).
Once your corn is cool, cut the corn off of the cob and add to the bowl.
Mix all ingredients well.
Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil, mayonnaise and lemon juice and mix well.
Add panko bread crumbs and beaten eggs and give everything a final good mix.
Make up your cakes by forming them into patties.  The mixture should make 6 burger sized cakes or 8 regular sized cakes.
Once your cakes are made, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat.  Cook your cakes until they are lightly browned on each side.
Serve with creamy dill sauce and enjoy!

* I made this recipe twice, using fresh corn the first time and canned corn the second time.  The fresh corn was better hands down.  Fresh corn has a little bit more of a crunch and is sweeter.  If you're in a pinch the canned is fine, but I recommend the fresh.

**A note on the Best Foods mayo with Olive Oil.  I am picky about my mayo.  I only eat best foods (aka Hellman's east of the Rockies).  I'm not a fan of Miracle Whip and as much as I love Trader Joe's, I don't like their mayo either.  I was in the grocery and noticed the Best Foods with Olive Oil was about $4 less than the regular mayo, so I decided to try it out.  I was reluctant, I even called The Cyclist to ask if he'd tried it.  My take is, I can't tell the difference between the regular Best Foods and Olive Oil Best Foods; and, in a side by side comparison by us, the Olive Oil Best Foods is better for you than the regular.  I'm not being paid by Best Foods and I have not received any free Best Foods products, but I would happily accept a jar of their mayo.  Are you reading this Best Foods??

Happy salmon fishing and salmon caking!

TCW

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