Healthier Salmon Croquettes Anytime

A strange thing happened.  I had left over salmon and a left over baked potato in my fridge on the same day.  These are two items that I don't usually have as left overs, let alone at the same time.  I got an idea!  Generally I would feed the left over salmon to the dog.  I know- really expensive meat to feed to a dog, but it usually tastes and smells too 'fishy' for me after the initial meal.  But this fillet was really fresh and it didn't smell or taste funny and there was a lot of it left.  So I decided to make croquettes.

Croquettes are little fish patties that are breaded and fried and greasy and wonderful.  They are not diet friendly, even if it is fish. Additionally, they are usually made with mayonnaise and and cracker or bread crumbs.  I thought I could do a bit better, so I nixed the mayo, opting for Greek yogurt instead.  I ground up a nice big carrot and cut up my left over potato and added a smidgen of panko.  I also added green onion, and celery.  Then I decided to bake them instead of fry them.

Yummy- and my house doesn't smell like grease.  Bonus! Anyway, you try them and tell me what you think.  I'd love to hear how it turns out for you. :)

Patties:
1 Salmon fillet, cooked. or (I would guess) 2 cans of canned salmon - but fresh will give better texture.
1 potato baked, peeled and cubed
1 large carrot, run through a food processor to get a very fine dice
1 celery 
2 green onions
2-3 tbl. of Panko, or bread crumbs, or smashed crackers
1 egg
1 Tbl. Old Bay (I love this stuff. I put it on everything.)
2 Tbl fresh parsley or 1/2 to 1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp white pepper
2 shakes of cayenne (If you like it hot, go ahead and add more. I was looking for flavor, not heat.)
1 container of plain Greek yogurt (6 oz) 
1 Tbl. lemon juice
(Breading will follow)

Put all ingredients in a gallon sized zip sealed bag and mush it up. You can put it in your mixer and use a paddle attachment to get a very fine texture, but I like my meat chunky.  Mush it until incorporated and it will form a ball.  If it is too loose add some more lemon juice and yogurt.  If it's too wet, you can add more Panko.

Form the mixture into 1/8 cup sized balls, (a little bigger than a walnut).  Flatten but don't smash. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze.

Breading:

2 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 package of  panko crumbs
either 1/2 package of a commercially produced fry mix
or
1 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper and cayenne ( you can also add a little cornmeal)

Combine the eggs and water and whisk. In a separate bowl combine your flour and panko.
Take each salmon patty and dip first in the egg wash and then in the flour.  I like to use one hand to do the wet, and one to do the dry, so that I don't end up with a gummy flour mess.  Return the patties to the cookie sheet as you go.

I froze most of the patties at this point, so I could have some quick meals in the future.  But even if you don't plan on doing that, put them back in the freezer for another 20 min. You don't have to do this step, but it is easier.

When you are ready, spray some cooking oil on a baking sheet and place your patties on the sheet.  Then spray the patties with some of the cooking oil. 

Bake at 425 for 20-24 min., turning once at about 16 minutes.

Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon

My sister-in-law is an amazing cook.  By amazing, I mean Ah-Mazzzz-ing!  She was trained by a (the, at the time) head chef at the Sun Valley Lodge.  Yeah, the Sun Valley Lodge Dining Room, the one where you can run into Hollywood stars nearly any day of the week.  But truthfully, I think she would have been an amazing cook even if she hadn't worked under the great chef.  She is good at everything.  She took some cake decorating classes, and now she teaches the cake decorating classes for Wilton - not even kidding.  She is also a phlebotomist.  I have no idea how or why those things go together.  I suppose it shows how well rounded she is.  Any way --- the point of the brag-fest on my SIL is that once, when my family was visiting hers, she made us this super yummy dinner.  It was salmon, red potatoes, and broccoli with cauliflower.  Now my husband does not like fish and he had seconds!  Seriously, some of the best restaurants in the country have not tempted him with their fish, but he had seconds!  It was so good I can still taste it.  Mmmmmnnnn. . . . . .  Oh, yeah, um you're still here?  Oh of course you are, I haven't told you how to make it.

Well, when my sister-in-law made it, she used butter and brown sugar and oh my it was good, but my waistline can't handle that and neither can my sugar levels, sooooooo - I changed it.  WAIT!  Don't leave!  It's still good.  And by good I mean really really good.  I will not pretend that it is exactly the same, but it is delicious nonetheless, and there is absolutely NO guilt.  So I will show you how I make the salmon, and you can choose.  Make it my way, or my sister-in-law's way.  Either way it is delicious and fish is still good for you with all those omega-3 fatty acids.

There are no specific measurements.  Instead I employ the drizzle, shake and eyeball methods.  Trust me, it's easier than you think.

These are your ingredients.  Notice in the top right corner you can see a cedar plank.  The actual plank that I used is soaking in the sink in water.  You have to soak the plank for 30 min to a few hours or it will start on fire.  I soaked mine for 2 hours, and it still caught on fire, which is why in the next picture you will see a bottle of water.  You need this to cedar grill your salmon.  Trust me on this one.  :)

1/2 way through cooking.  See the smoke at the top of the picture?  Great flavor there.  However, I did smell like a campfire when I was done.

It's done.  Okay, I like mine a little more done that most people, but I still think it looks beautiful.

 Here's how you make it.  Score your salmon down to, but not through the skin.  drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the salmon and use your hands or a spoon to push the mixture into the fish.  sprinkle with Splenda or whatever your favorite sugar substitute is, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper and parsley and your favorite flavorings.  But, the salt pepper and parsley are actually enough.  I did add some chili powder and garlic.  Preheat your grill for 10 min.  Then turn it down to low and put your plank on the grill. After about 5 minutes you should see smoke coming from the grill.  Open it, and if any of your plank is on fire, squirt it down with water.  Place the fish on the plank and cook about 20 min.  Check it often.  You can also bake this in your over, minus the cedar plank.  Eat immediately. 

 If you want to do it my sister-in-law's way.  Rub butter into the salmon, sprinkle about 4 TBL brown sugar over that, and squeeze 2  fresh lemons or limes over that.  Rub all that into the salmon with your hands.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper and parsley.

Seriously yummy.  Let me know how it turns out for you.  :)

Spices:
 juice from 1 fresh lemon or 1 Tbl. lemon juice
Old Bay (you will just sprinkle on top- so no real measurement, but I'd guesstimate 1 tsp.
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or 1 tsp. garlic salt (reducing the sea salt if you use this)
2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
Pepper (again, sprinkle it over- not a real measurement)
Salt (see above)
1 Tbl. splenda or honey
1-2 Tbl Olive Oil

Drizzle Olive oil and honey (or sprinkle splenda) over your fillet.  Then drizzle the Lemon Juice over the salmon.  Next, sprinkle all other ingredients on the fillet, making sure to cover the entire fillet.