As a young girl, my mother would make salmon patties. A classic dinner in our house, comfort food you might say! We were always on a budget and fresh fish was not available all year round. She made them with saltine crackers and canned salmon, served them with a cream sauce made from eggs. Thrifty yes, but when you open that can of salmon as an adult, it becomes not so appetizing. I knew there had to be a better way, a fresh way!
To begin my revamped recipe, I started with diced wild salmon. I wanted to treat this recipe more like a crab cake, with lots of fish and not too much cake! Instead of using crackers or breadcrumbs for a binder, I chose something a bit unexpected. I grated egg whites to replace most of that breading, and added only the smallest amount of panko I could use and still have the cakes stay together. The result is a protein packed, moist salmon cake full of flavor with a crispy exterior!
These impressive cakes needed a new impressive sauce. I choose Challenge Whipped Cream Cheese Spread as my base. I then added the freshness of dill and lemon juice to accent the flavor of the fish. Of course I didn’t forget my Mom’s egg! I included the yolks in the sauce to give it a beautiful lemony color and richness.
I still look forward to eating my Mom’s salmon patties, but I am happy that I came up with a new and healthy way to eat this classic dish. Canned or fresh? Try this recipe and see why I look forward to serving these Fresh Salmon Cakes with Lemon Dill Sauce to my family!