Salmon Cakes

Recipe by Ina Garten · Food Network · sent by Melissa, January 2016

Melissa's forward called this "all-star, easy-to-follow" — roasted salmon flaked into a mixture of sautéed peppers, celery, and onion, bound with mayonnaise, egg, and toasted bread crumbs, then pan-fried until browned. The crab-boil seasoning and hot sauce give it more kick than the average cake.

Ingredients

• ½ lb fresh salmon
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• ¾ cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
• 1½ cups small-diced celery (4 stalks)
• ½ cup small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
• ½ cup small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
• ¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp capers, drained
• ¼ tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ tsp crab boil seasoning (such as Old Bay)
• 3 slices stale bread, crusts removed
• ½ cup good mayonnaise
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Method

1. Roast the salmon. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place salmon skin-side down on a sheet pan, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast 15–20 minutes until cooked through. Cover with foil, rest 10 minutes, then refrigerate until cold.
2. Cook the vegetables. In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, combine 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, the onion, celery, peppers, parsley, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire, crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook 15–20 minutes until softened. Cool to room temperature.
3. Make the crumbs. Process the bread into about 1 cup crumbs and toast on a sheet pan for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
4. Mix and shape. Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, and cooled vegetable mixture. Mix well, cover, and chill 30 minutes. Shape into 10 cakes (2½–3 oz each).
5. Fry. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Fry the cakes in batches, 3–4 minutes per side until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep warm in a 250°F oven until serving.