Baked Salmon Cakes

I'll never forget the first time I ever made salmon cakes on my own. The second I opened up the can of salmon, I was disgusted. I saw a dark film of some sort, not to mention bones. I took one look, and thought that this must've been a bad can of salmon. I threw the contents out and over the deck (we lived in the country) and opened up a second can. I couldn't believe it. The same disgusting sight lay before my eyes. I opened a third can. Sammme disgusttting sight. I saved the two opened cans (knowing there HAD to be something wrong with them) and waited until Dad got home to show him our "flawed/needed to be recalled" cans of salmon. Turns out, that's the way canned salmon looks.

Since then I've made many variations over the years. Salmon cakes are equally as versatile to make as they are to flavor as they are to cook. I've made salmon cakes that included bell peppers, olives, onions, and/or pickles. I've made "Asian" salmon cakes. I've made "Cajun" salmon cakes. I've made "Italian" salmon cakes. I've made salmon cakes with cornmeal, fresh bread crumbs, dried bread crumbs, and/or panko bread crumbs. I've made salmon cakes that I've sautéed ingredients first, added grated ingredients raw, minced ingredients, and/or added marinated ingredients. I've fried the cakes, broiled the cakes, grilled the cakes, and baked the cakes.

The main problem I've come across though, is getting them to stay together. And keeping them relatively low-fat. (I know, I'm such a girl). And then it hit me, prepare the cakes as I would a meatloaf. I tweaked a couple of steps with the addition of a stalk of celery and forming the mixture into "cakes" rather than a "loaf." But I have to say, they turned out beautifully. No sautéing vegetables and dirtying an extra pan. No greasy extra fat by frying the cakes in a pan. No needed extra time to let the formed cakes set in the fridge before cooking. (Which btw, is SO annoying when you're impatient and ready to just get on with it.)

Ingredients:
1 (14 3/4oz) Can of Salmon
1C Plain Dry Bread Crumbs

3 Cloves Garlic
1 Small Onion
1 Stalk of Celery

2 Eggs
1/4C Milk
1Tbl Mustard
1tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
1tsp Dried Thyme
S&P

Topping:
1/2C Ketchup
1/4C Brown Sugar
2Tbl Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375'F. Oil a baking dish. Mix topping ingredients. Set aside. Mince garlic, onion, and celery. In a bowl mix all ingredients together except for bread crumbs and salmon. Drain salmon. Pick out bones. Flake into wet mixture. Cover with bread crumbs. Combine. Form into 6 salmon cakes. Bake in oiled dish for 20min. Top with topping. Bake for 30min.

Preheat oven. Oil a baking dish. Mix together topping and set aside.

Mince garlic, onion, and celery.

In a large bowl, add: Milk, eggs, mustard, Louisiana hot sauce, thyme, garlic, onion, celery, S&P.

Whisk together.

Drain the salmon and transfer to a work surface (cutting board).

Remove the bones. The bones are (usually) located in the center. So, peel the outer layers back and remove the bones.

Flake the salmon into the wet mixture.

Mix to combine.

Shower mixture with bread crumbs.

Lightly fold mixture by scooping up a small section and pressing back into the mixture with your hand.

Once all of the bread crumbs have been moistened (if you see a patch of dry bread crumbs, fold some more) pat the mixture into an even layer. With your hand, score into 6 equal parts. I picked up this handy (pun!) tip from the annoying lovely Rachael Ray.

Scoop a segmented sixth out and roll into a ball. Flatten and then shape into a disc. Transfer to the oiled baking dish. 

Continue until all salmon cakes are formed and in the oiled dish.

Baked at 375'F for 20min.

Remove after 20 min. Top with ketchup/sugar/vinegar topping.

Return to 375'F oven and bake for 30 min.

Plate up.

Cook's Notes:

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have topped the salmon cakes with a meatloaf/ketchup topping. Don't get me wrong, they were still good (especially the next day between a bun with some mayo and sliced onion). But I'd strongly suggest leaving out the topping altogether and bake @ 375'F, uninterrupted, for 40-45min. Serve the cakes with a spritz of lemon or a dollop of tartar sauce, and you're golden.