The Sweet Taste of the River: Salmon Cakes
Over the past couple of years, my husband has developed a love of fly fishing. A transplant from Minnesota, he's found that the fishing in our ample Oregon system of rivers and streams is much different than that of the lakes he fished as a boy. But they are beautiful rivers with runs of equally gorgeous fish. As he is still in the learning phase, we haven't been overrun with fish this year, but we enjoy our time riverside anyway, taking in the sights of beavers, otters, great blue herons and occasionally bald eagles. Fly fishing also requires a keen eye for the smaller, less conspicuous but equally important creatures of the river ecosystem. The various fly hatches that the fly fisherman tries to mimic are seasonal and have to be followed pretty closely to get them right. Casting also requires practice, skill and graceful patience. Fly fishing combines a mix of biology and choreography, stimulating to both the body and mind.
As for me, I am more of a river watcher. I enjoy walking the trails here at The Thyme Garden, taking in the scent of the fallen leaves, Western cedar, and the peculiar slightly metallic scent of snow on the horizon. At streams edge, I enjoy picking up rocks emerged in the frigid water and checking for nymph phase of stoneflies and mayflies, and the unusual casings of the caddisfly larvae that binds together a protective cloak out of the smallest river pebbles using a glue like substance it produces internally. Remarkable adaptations of such small creatures.
With the leaves gone, the structure of the trees stand out against the sky. Sturdy trunks covered in thick moss and bright lichens weave bold patterns. Licorice root ferns beckon with elegant fronds. Mushrooms of all sizes and in a full rainbow of color cover the forest floor and even climb up the sides of stumps. The days may be growing shorter but the forest and stream are still vibrant and awake. Signs of owls and bears suggest this is true even in the long dark nights.
With the winter almost upon us, it sometimes feels like the motivation to cook extravagant meals falls to the wayside. The holidays often center around food, but what to do in the in between days when the darkness and snowy roads don't make you want to get out on the road and drive to the store? I look to my freezer or the recesses of my refrigerator where I sometimes find caches of forgotten food (some of which I have to toss, of course.) But with a little imagination, there is always the potential for a great recipe to be born!
My recent discovery were some nice cooked wild salmon fillets in our freezer that were left after our Salmon Walk and Banquet that I didn't want to go unused (I hate wasting food, and especially something as precious as salmon)so I whipped up some good old fashioned salmon cakes as an appetizer. By adding the zesty raspberry chipotle dipping sauce, I gave them a little extra spunkiness that was a big hit at our house. You could also make your patties bigger and serve them on a bun as the main entree.
Salmon Cakes with Raspberry Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Ingredients for Salmon Cakes:
2 cups cooked salmon, skin removed
1 slice toast, crumbed (Gluten free works great!)
3/4 cup celery, fine chopped
1/2 cup onion, fine chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper
1 tsp chili flakes or fresh jalapeno
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried dill weed or seafood seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
Use a fork to crumble the salmon and remove any bones you come across. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well with a fork or your hands.
Form firmly into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter and flatten between your palms. It's important to press them firmly so they will hold together while cooking. Place the patties on a plate and chill until ready to cook.
Ingredients for Raspberry Chipotle Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise or vegenaisse
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 Tbsp dried ground chipotle peppers
1 clove minced garlic
1 Tbsp snipped chives or green onions
2 Tbsp raspberry jam or fresh crushed raspberries when in season
Mix all ingredients and let flavors meld in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour. The smokey heat of the chipotle peppers develops overtime and is truly delicious with the sweet tanginess of raspberries.
Back to the cakes...When ready to cook, add a healthy amount of oil to a frying pan and cook your cakes over medium heat until a nice golden brown.
I like to serve mine with a garnish of purple cabbage, and of course the amazing dipping sauce.
-Posted by Bethany
As for me, I am more of a river watcher. I enjoy walking the trails here at The Thyme Garden, taking in the scent of the fallen leaves, Western cedar, and the peculiar slightly metallic scent of snow on the horizon. At streams edge, I enjoy picking up rocks emerged in the frigid water and checking for nymph phase of stoneflies and mayflies, and the unusual casings of the caddisfly larvae that binds together a protective cloak out of the smallest river pebbles using a glue like substance it produces internally. Remarkable adaptations of such small creatures.
With the leaves gone, the structure of the trees stand out against the sky. Sturdy trunks covered in thick moss and bright lichens weave bold patterns. Licorice root ferns beckon with elegant fronds. Mushrooms of all sizes and in a full rainbow of color cover the forest floor and even climb up the sides of stumps. The days may be growing shorter but the forest and stream are still vibrant and awake. Signs of owls and bears suggest this is true even in the long dark nights.
With the winter almost upon us, it sometimes feels like the motivation to cook extravagant meals falls to the wayside. The holidays often center around food, but what to do in the in between days when the darkness and snowy roads don't make you want to get out on the road and drive to the store? I look to my freezer or the recesses of my refrigerator where I sometimes find caches of forgotten food (some of which I have to toss, of course.) But with a little imagination, there is always the potential for a great recipe to be born!
My recent discovery were some nice cooked wild salmon fillets in our freezer that were left after our Salmon Walk and Banquet that I didn't want to go unused (I hate wasting food, and especially something as precious as salmon)so I whipped up some good old fashioned salmon cakes as an appetizer. By adding the zesty raspberry chipotle dipping sauce, I gave them a little extra spunkiness that was a big hit at our house. You could also make your patties bigger and serve them on a bun as the main entree.
Salmon Cakes with Raspberry Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Ingredients for Salmon Cakes:
2 cups cooked salmon, skin removed
1 slice toast, crumbed (Gluten free works great!)
3/4 cup celery, fine chopped
1/2 cup onion, fine chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper
1 tsp chili flakes or fresh jalapeno
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried dill weed or seafood seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
Use a fork to crumble the salmon and remove any bones you come across. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well with a fork or your hands.
Form firmly into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter and flatten between your palms. It's important to press them firmly so they will hold together while cooking. Place the patties on a plate and chill until ready to cook.
Ingredients for Raspberry Chipotle Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise or vegenaisse
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 Tbsp dried ground chipotle peppers
1 clove minced garlic
1 Tbsp snipped chives or green onions
2 Tbsp raspberry jam or fresh crushed raspberries when in season
Mix all ingredients and let flavors meld in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour. The smokey heat of the chipotle peppers develops overtime and is truly delicious with the sweet tanginess of raspberries.
Back to the cakes...When ready to cook, add a healthy amount of oil to a frying pan and cook your cakes over medium heat until a nice golden brown.
I like to serve mine with a garnish of purple cabbage, and of course the amazing dipping sauce.
-Posted by Bethany
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