Prevention RD

Giada + Southern Comfort Food

low-carb· recipe· reduced-calorie· sodium

In honor of residing in Oklahoma over the past 17 months, I finally took the time to make salmon patties — a traditional southern food. Many of my patients spoke of salmon patties and as a salmon lover, it’s a mystery as to why its taken this long to tackle these southern treats! I think I’m OFFICIALLY an Okie! Just in time to be leaving 😉 I didn’t have a recipe on hand for salmon patties, so I used one of Giada’s. I’m watching The Next Food Network Star this season and I just love it! I especially love it when Giada De Lautentiis makes an appearance…and during my “staycation” this week, I plan to watch her show every day! Everything that woman cooks up makes me drool, and so my trend of not-so-healthy recipes continues today (but ends today) with her salmon patties…somewhat lightened up. And if you missed the best brownies ever over the weekend, be SURE you check them out! They’re so good they’re evil! 😉

Salmon Cakes with Lemon-Caper Yogurt Sauce adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Salmon:

1 pound skinless salmon fillet
Olive oil, for drizzling non-stick cooking spray
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Patties:

1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup (1/2-ounce) chopped fresh chives (I used 2 Tbsp fresh dill)
26 saltine crackers, crushed, divided
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 2 tablespoons vegetable canola oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Sauce:

1/2 cup full-fat 2% plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (light on the salt)

Directions:

Salmon: Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until the flesh is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.

Patties: Using a fork, flake the salmon into 1/2-inch pieces and put into a medium bowl. Add the egg, chives, 1/2 of the crushed crackers, the corn, mustard, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix gently until just combined. Form the mixture into 2 1/2-inch diameter patties, about 3/4 inches thick. (If the mixture is too dry to form into patties, add extra mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon at a time,) Carefully coat the patties in the remaining crushed crackers and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden and crispy, about 7 to 8 minutes each side. Drain on paper towels.

Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Arrange the salmon cakes on a platter and serve alongside the sauce. Yield: 8 patties with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sauce.

Nutrition Information (per patty with sauce): 190 calories; 10.6 g. fat; 66.5 mg. cholesterol; 360 mg. sodium*; 8.6 g. carbohydrate; 0 g. fiber; 14.8 g. protein

*The sodium content is lower than this if you rinse the capers and use VERY little salt to taste. With the salty capers, the recipe really requires no additional salt.

Result: These were delicious…even after being lightened up a lot! And not difficult at all, despite those long directions. I am terrible at pan frying, but these were very simple and delicious!! I see why they like them in the south 😉

It’s been a long weekend for this girl…

Too cute!

Question: Do you watch any Food Network shows? If so, which ones?

Have a great week…I know I will! Staycation – WOO!

Comments

  2. This recipe is great. I wonder if Nick would eat this? He doesn’t eat salmon (or any fish really, unless it’s deep fried) but I think he might eat a salmon cake. Hmmm…..maybe you and mark can come over sometime and we’ll make these for dinner! That would be fun.

    I do watch the Food Network a lot. In fact, Sunny Anderson was in Market District on Friday!! COol huh?? And I think she’ll be at the grand opening of the Columbus one too! She does “Cooking for Real”.

    Reply

  4. I used to watch Food Network while I worked out (back when my apartment gym got every channel). I got sick of it, though, because I always was at the gym during Rachel Ray and Paula Deen. I do like Giada and Ina but I’m not home during their shows.

    Reply

  7. I love Giada too, she is one of my favorites on the network. Though I live in Illinois, not Oklahoma salmon patties were a staple in my home growing up. Though I now use fresh cooked salmon instead of the canned salmon my Mother & Grandmother used. I often make several, then store them for lunches throughout the week. Yum!

    Reply

  9. I just made salmon cakes last week, but they don’t look as good as this one! I think refrigerating them like you did would have kept them from falling apart into mush? Hehe, maybe 😉 And capers, mmm.

    I used to watch a lot of Food Network shows, but no longer! No time! Have a great staycation!

    Reply

  11. We watch a lot of the food network, especially Giada. I have been really getting into the Cooking Channel. Unique shows with lots of fun food.

    Reply

  12. The Food Network is the only channel that really calms me. I know, I’m weird. Anyway, I could watch any show really, but I love Giada and yes, Rachael.

    Reply

  15. I used to watch the food network all the time but recently I haven’t been. Paula Deen used to be my favorite though.

    Matt and I are going to try the Salmon Burgers in the July Cooking Light – did you see those?

    Reply

  21. I had no idea salmon patties were a southern thing! My mom made them at least once a week for us growing up… soooooo good!! I haven’t had them in forever, I need to ask her to make them for me some day soon!!

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  23. Actually, of all the food network stars, Giada is my least favorite. Every time I watch her, it seems she says “just like that” about 100 times – see the next time you watch her show.

    Giada: “and you put the peas in the pan and saute, just like that”

    I love Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Chopped and Next Food Network star 😀

    Happy Monday – enjoy your staycation!

    Reply

  25. Ok, you are going to laugh…one Friday I was in the diet office at the hospital and I was bored, just procrastinating, so I picked up the Boost cookbook (like a little one from our rep to give to patients on home supplements). There was a recipe for salmon cakes that looked really good, and my friend came in and asked what I was looking at. She agreed and that night we left work, went to the grocery store, went to her house and made a Boost recipe for dinner.

    Reply

  26. Ooh those patties look perfect. I would love them with some Russian dressing, or tartar sauce. Maybe even cocktail sauce.

    I love FN, but these days I’m not interested in some of their new shows…I find the FN Challenge shows rather boring! I’m liking Cooking Channel more because they show all those old shows I used to love!

    Reply

  27. someone said it already in your post, but for some reason, watching the food network always calms me down and relaxes me! i can’t explain it but when thre is a good cooking show on, i just love to watch and listen! barefoot contessa makes awesome recipes, as does bobby flay. Ellie krieger is a fav as well! those salmon cakes look DELISH!

    Reply

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