Salmon Patties with Lemon Sauce

Salmon patties are easy to make but do have to be planned in advanced since the patties need to be refrigerated for a least a couple hours if not overnight. Most of the time, canned salmon is used for patties because it has a better texture for molding and cost less. A plus to using canned salmon is that it is usually wild salmon, which is healthier than farm raised salmon. Either way, make sure flake, debone, and drain the salmon before mixing.

Ingredients – Patties

• 20 oz. fresh salmon – coarsely chopped (or canned salmon flaked)
• 1 TBL olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 TBL red bell pepper – peeled and diced fine
• 2 TBL celery – minced
• 1 TBL capers
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch Old Bay seafood seasoning
• For coating and cooking
  • 1 TBL panko bread crumbs
  • 2 TBL olive oil, or as needed

Ingredients – Lemon Sauce

• 2 TBL butter
• 4 TBL flour
• 6 oz. whole milk
• 2 TBL lemon juice (fresh is best)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

Process – Patties

1. Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients before starting.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and allow to warm. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and a pinch of salt. Sautee until onions are translucent, ~5 mins.
3. Add capers and cook until fragrant, ~2 mins.
4. Remove from heat and cool on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Wait until the mixture returns to room temperature.
5. Stir salmon, onion mixture, and remaining ingredients together in a bowl until well-mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firmed and chilled, 1 to 2 hours minimum up to overnight.
6. Form salmon mixture into four 1-inch thick patties; sprinkle panko bread crumbs over each patty.
7. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-heat. Cook patties in hot oil until golden and cooked through, ~3 to 4 mins per side.

Process – Lemon Sauce

1. Make a roux by first melting the butter in sauce pan and stirring in the flour. You want the flour to toast slightly but not too much or it will color the sauce off-white to brown, which you do not want.
2. Slowly stir in the milk. The roux will initially become very pasty but don’t panic, just keep slowing adding milk and stirring.
3. Bring sauce to boil and then lower temp to a simmer. Cook 2 mins.
4. Remove sauce from heat then add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
5. Serve over the salmon patties.