Salmon Cakes - Lightened Up!

 I've been reposting some of my prior recipes so I can improve the photo's, and in this case I am reducing the fat while I am at it! 

See my previous ugly photo and fattening recipe!   

This is a rendition of Ina Gartens Salmon Cake recipe.  Like a lot of her recipes she is heavy on the butta.     I tweaked it a bit to make it healthy and really, no difference in flavor at all...none, zip, nada.    I saved a butt-load (pun intended) of fat!  My arteries are thanking me today!  I also left off the Tarragon Vinigerette  in my previous posting,but you can sure add it if you would like! 

How I did it:     I sauteed the veggies in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and omitted the butter. Reduced the mayo by 1/4 cup and decreased the eggs from 2 to 1. I also increased the Dijon to make the patties hold together. I sauted in olive oil instead of the suggested butter and olive oil combo and they came out brown and crispy just like they should!

 

 

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Crunchy Oven Baked Shrimp with Peachy Dipping Sauce

Crunchy Oven Fried Shrimp with Spicy Peachy sauce!  I can't get enough of them!  I will make the peach sauce over and over again, I can already taste it with salmon and turkey burgers and pork chops and chicken and fish and...well you get the point. It's yummy!

The sauce is so simple, it is made out of peach preserves, ground ginger, honey and hot sauce...nuke it a minute and instant dip!  You can even use sugar free preserves and get amazing results.

I tried the shrimp a couple different ways - soaked in buttermilk, dipped in egg, and just Panko and then dipped in regular bread crumbs and then again with a bread-Panko combo, and that was the best. These little wonder shrimp have been tested and re-tested.  (Thank you Mr. Kirk for your very valuable opinion...he has a very tough job, being my official taste tester.)
The shrimp are also very low in calorie, so make tons and double your batch of the peachy sauce to go with everything you are cooking this week!

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Salmon Cakes with Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette

These are so tasty and so easy to prepare.   Make the patties ahead of time (up to a day in advance) and then saute them up...and guess what? ...you are  a salmon patty cookin' rock star!  Woot!  Woot!

I have heard rumors of taste bud impaired cooks using canned salmon for these, but I refuse to believe it.  It's just bad cooks talkin' smack.  Who would use canned salmon in Seattle?  Fresh is the way to go...Costco my friends...Costco.

I based this on a recipe from Ina Garten (she is such a favorite chef of mine!)  Everything she does is so fresh and simple.

The Tarragon Vinaigrette is my own recipe, and worth keeping because it goes so well with just about everything...try it on fish taco's, very yummy.

Don't let the ingredient list and directions scare you away from this recipe...basically, all you are doing is sauteing veggies and tossing with cooked salmon.  If you have left over salmon you are already half way there!


Ingredients

For Salmon Cakes

1/2 pound fresh salmon

Good olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup small-diced red onion

1 1/2 cups small-diced celery 

1  cup small-diced red bell pepper 

1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (I used Old Bay)

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

For Tarragon Vinaigrette

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon chopped or 2 teaspoons dried

2 heaping tablespoons good mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the salmon on a sheet pan, skin side down. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes and refrigerate until cold.
Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons of the butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley,  hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the vegetable mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into about 8 to 10 cakes.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. In batches, add the salmon cakes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a preheated 250 degree F oven and serve hot

Tarragon Vinaigrette

Mix all ingredients well and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving

Spoon vinaigrette over warm salmon cakes and serve.

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Sugar Seared Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

I have never seen another recipe like this one.    We were in Maui and I was watching  one of those tourist channels and they were preparing this salmon at a restaurant in Lahaina.  I have been making it ever since!  This is one of those recipes that works during the week but is also a show stopper when you have guests. There are only 5 ingredients...that works for me!

 The preperation is super, super easy.   I serve with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans, but sweet potatoes and any veggie would work.  If you are not a pineapple fan, omit the salsa and serve with a garlic cream sauce...cream sauce goes with everything!

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