This dish started out as a smoked salmon salad I used to make (all the same ingredients but using smoked paprika).  I got a wild hair one day and decided to add a little flour and make patties out of it.  I haven’t looked to see what standard salmon croquette recipes have in them so I have no idea how this compares.  But anyhoo, I usually brown these in the skillet but didn’t want to deal with the mess last night.  Also, I decided to try them without adding flour and see if they’d hold up.  They did great.  And I loved not having the mess on the stove afterwards.  You can, of course, always add flour if you’d like but this is a lower carb/grain free version.  When I add flour I usually use brown rice flour in the mix and I also pat some on the outside of each patty so they brown nicely.  But I found that even without the four and baking them, they still got very brown.  Here’s what I did…

 

4 cans boneless/skinless pink salmon drained well

2-3 tablespoons mayo (I use organic mayo that doesn’t have sugar added)

juice from 1/2 lemon

zest of 1/2 a lemon

fresh parsley finely chopped – or dried parsley 

onion powder

garlic powder

paprika 

ground red pepper

dash of Tony’s cajun seasoning

1 quarter of a sweet onion roughly chopped

1 quarter of a green bell pepper roughly chopped

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds**

 

1)  Preheat oven to 425 

2)  Place onion and bell pepper in food processor and pulse until finely minced.  You can do this by hand but it takes longer

3)  In a large bowl combine bell pepper/onion with salmon and all other ingredients and mix WELL.  (seasonings are “to taste” but I’m usually pretty heavy handed with them!  I like lots of flavor)

4)  place mixture in the fridge to chill and firm up

5)  line a cookie sheet with parchment paper lightly sprayed with non stick cooking spray

6)  remove salmon mix from fridge and form into 8 equal portions and make into patties

7)  reduce heat to 400 and place patties on parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes

8)  remove from oven, spray tops of patties with cooking spray and flip them over

9)  bake for an additional 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on each side

10)  allow to cool and firm up before serving. 

 

Since these don’t have flour they aren’t as firm, therefore it’s important to let them cool slightly to firm up.  I served them over a salad but they’d be great alone with a little remoulade sauce or in a wrap with some crisp lettuce.

 

I also sometimes make this without making patties and cooking it and serve it in belgian endive leaves or on top of a salad.  Sorta like tuna salad. See…

** For those of you that don’t know…flax seeds are like a natural glue in recipes where
there is moisture.  They help things bind together.  They also have protien and are rich in Omega 3’s.   

 

Enjoy!