David hit the nail on the head when he called these deviled salmon cakes. Similar to deviled crab, these salmon cakes are made with salmon instead of crab meat.
We love salmon and look forward to salmon season. I get excited when I know grocery stores will start carrying fresh wild-caught fillets. They practically call my name!
Cedar plank smoked salmon is our favorite way to prepare salmon. That is usually the first salmon dish we make of the season. David does a hell of a job on it too!
Each year, I like to try at least one new recipe using salmon. This year I wanted to try my hand at some salmon cakes. Some salmon cake recipes are pretty boring and rely on a sauce to make them sing. The first recipe I tried was good, but there was not much flavor. The salmon cakes were very dry and didn’t quite have the texture I was looking for either. So I pulled another recipe off the internet and adjusted it to our taste. The recipe I’m about to share with you is exactly the kind of salmon cake I was looking for.
The salmon cakes get their flavor from a medley of sauteed onions, celery and bell pepper. In Cajun-Creole cuisine this vegetable medley is also known as the “Holy Trinity” or “mirepoix”. This vegetable medley teams up with briny capers, a slight smokiness from Worcestershire sauce and spice and heat from Old Bay Seasoning, and Dijon mustard.
Having said heat, don’t let the term “deviled” scare you off. If you recall the recipe I shared years ago called “Mexican Deviled Chicken”, most often “deviled” implies a preparation with a sharp flavor, most often derived from mustard, vinegar, cayenne or other chilies.
“Deviled” is also a term used to describe a heavily seasoned food, that’s dark, rich, chopped, ground, or the whole mixture served hot or cold. Hence, the reason why many foods, including eggs and crab, are served “deviled.”
One ingredient that really gave the salmon cakes great texture was saltine crackers. I used saltine cracker crumbs instead of bread crumbs because I didn’t have any prepared breadcrumbs and I was too lazy to make them. The saltines add a nice texture to the salmon cakes. I was happy with the result.
I guess this is one time that laziness in the kitchen paid off.
Speaking of laziness, you could totally save time by using canned salmon for this recipe. I do not recommend it. There’s no way they will taste as good as using fresh salmon. But go ahead if you must…
Dry and boring? Not these salmon patties!
There is tons of flavor in this salmon patty. If you are looking for a way to get more healthy salmon in your diet, look no further.
Try these Deviled Salmon Cakes and decide for yourself!
Deviled Salmon Cakes
Useful Equipment:
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh salmon fillet(s)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup red onion diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons capers heaping
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup saltine crackers ½ sleeve, crushed into fine crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking the salmon cakes
- lemon wedges fresh, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the salmon:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Lay the salmon skin-side down on the foil. Brush the salmon fillet with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 to 145 degrees Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the salmon fillet(s).
- Remove the salmon from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 to 15 minute minutes.
Saute the Vegetables:
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Sautee until tender; about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add the cooled salmon to a large mixing bowl and mince up with a fork, until there are no large pieces remaining.
Form the Salmon Cakes:
- Add the sauteed vegetables, parsley, capers, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, mustard eggs and cracker crumbs to the bowl.
- Using wet hands (Wet hands keeps the mixture from sticking to them), mix the ingredients together until well combined.
- Form 10 to 12 patties and place them on a large platter or plate. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to let them set.
Cook the Salmon Cakes:
- Heat the olive In a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add as many salmon cakes to the pan without crowding them. Cook undisturbed until the bottom becomes brown and crispy; about 5 minutes. Flip the salmon cakes and cook an additional 5 minutes. Repeat if necessary with any uncooked salmon cakes.
Serving
- Enjoy served with fresh lemon wedges.
Mimi says
Huh. I never knew what deviled meant, like in the case of eggs. Interesting! Love these cakes!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks, Mimi! It is pretty interesting, isn’t it? Hope you are doing well!