- Fraiche Living - https://fraicheliving.com -

Salmon Cakes with Dill Tartar Sauce

Salmon Cakes with Dill Tartar Sauce

There are some recipes that you come back to over and over again and are always a hit, right?  This is one of mine.  Keep reading for the best damned salmon cakes that will ever hit your mouth.  I promise!

I originally made these salmon cakes for a wine pairing menu for Sandhill Wines [1]last year but they got lost in the post; there was a lot going on, so I figured I would pull them out of the abyss and show them off for you again.  I made them for our company the other night and as usual, a TOTAL HIT! The secret to these salmon cakes is the mix of both fresh and smoked wild salmon and the magical homemade dill tartar sauce that will make you wonder where these have been all your life!

I paired these with the Sandhill Pinot Gris [2], a crisp fresh white wine that pairs so perfectly with the salmon and the creamy dill tartar sauce.  You can make these into smaller portions (2 tablespoons) and serve them as an appetizer or make them as I did here for a main dish (the perfect brunch or lunch dish!) alongside a green salad.  You can use any type of wild salmon you wish, and as usual, do your best to source a local source. There’s a 100% chance these are going into the cookbook my friends!

5 from 6 votes
Print [3]

Salmon Cakes

These salmon cakes are packed with rich flavour, and make an amazing appetizer or a main if served with a light green salad.  This makes a lot of salmon cakes, so cut the recipe in half if you're only serving a small crowd. WINE PAIRING: Sandhill Pinot Gris

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 45 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

Salmon Cake Ingredients:

  • 3 cups 1/4" diced raw wild salmon, skin removed
  • 1 cup 1/4" diced cold smoked wild salmon
  • 2 tablespoon finely diced chives
  • ¾ cup mayo
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • ½   cup finely diced red onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill plus extra for garnish
  • 3 tablespoon chopped capers
  • 3 cups panko divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 3 free range eggs beaten
  • neutral oil for frying ie: avocado or canola

Tartar Sauce Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1 teaspoon drained capers chopped

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine both types of salmon, chives, mayo, dry mustard, red onion, dill, capers, salt, pepper and 1 cup of panko and mix thoroughly. Mix in the eggs until combined.

  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the 2 cups of panko on a large plate. Using a large (size 8 or ½ c.) ice cream scoop or your hands, form each salmon cake and carefully place it onto the plate of panko, gently pressing some panko on the top of the cake.  Using a metal spatula, carefully lift the salmon cake onto the prepared cookie sheet and repeat until all of the salmon mixture is used up.  Refrigerate the salmon cakes for 30-60 minutes and prepare the tartar sauce by combining all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.
  3. Line a large plate with paper towel. Add oil to a large frying pan until it is ½” deep. Heat over medium-high heat and fry the salmon cakes in batches, careful not to over crowd the pan (we used a large pan and cooked 4 at a time), until the salmon cakes are golden on each side.  Remove from the pan with a metal spatula and repeat with the remaining salmon cakes.  Serve immediately with the tartar sauce and fresh dill as a garnish if desired.

Recipe Notes

WINE PAIRING: Sandhill Pinot Gris

The original wine pairing post was sponsored by Sandhill Wines.

Photography by Mackenzie Dempsey of Mackenzie Jane Photo