Culinary Smackdown Battle:Salmon

Spicy Salmon and  Corn Cakes with Mango Tarter Sauce

If I wanted to give this dish a glorious review (which I do), it would be the fact that I was not happy with my pictures, so I had planned on using the leftovers ---to retake some photos in better light.

I went home from work at noon the next day, intending on doing this, and found the Handyman eating them.

I couldn't very well scream at  him that I had plans for those leftovers   (I have done that before), so I just casually mentioned that I had planned on taking more pictures of them.   He looked at me and with his mouth full, he said  "well, if you don't want me to eat them, quit making them so good."

(that is the glorious review--and believe me, it was heartfelt)

This was not his reaction tho, when he heard the phrase  "mango" tarter sauce and especially not when he saw me put capers into the grocery cart.

(he says he is allergic to capers--that most men are)  (sigh)  (he found out that capers aren't all that bad)

My friend Brenda, at Brenda's Canadian Kitchen,  is hosting the

Culinary Smackdown--Battle Salmon this month.

I love salmon.  But I am a pretty boring salmon cooker apparently.  I liked it baked or grilled with lemon.

In the spirit of the smackdown, I grabbed a cookbook on my shelf and was determined to make salmon in a new way.  Just for the Smackdown.

I found a ton of new ways in Paula Dean's,  "The Dean Family Cookbook."  It was hard to choose just one, but I finally settled on the Spicy Salmon and Corn cakes.

It's a great cookbook,  full of all kinds of recipes I now want to try.

I am marking this one (this cookbook) off as one I've used in  my own Cookbook Countdown, but I don't plan on putting it back on my shelf and not using it again.  I have bookmarked about 10 other recipes to try.

These were great little salmon patties. And the mango sauce was good too, but I would make these salmon patties (or cakes) and just use regular tarter sauce and they would be just as tasty.

This was in the appetizer section, but we had them for a late afternoon lunch.

Spicy Salmon and Corn Cakes with Mango Tarter Sauce

Tarter Sauce

1 cup peeled, diced mango  (1 large)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbls capers, drained and chopped

pinch of salt

pepper

Whisk together the mango, mayo, capers and salt in a medium bowl.  Add pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Salmon Cakes

1 14.75 oz can boneless pink salmon-drained

1 cup panko or dry bread crumbs

2 eggs lightly beaten

3 Tbls chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbls chopped red onion

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp salt

pepper

1/3 cup cornmeal

vegetable oil for frying

Put the salmon in a medium bowl and break it up with a fork. Add the panko,eggs, parsley, onion, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.

Form into 12 cakes and coat them with the cornmeal.

Heat 1/4 inch oil in large skillet over med-high heat.  Place the cakes in the oil, 5-6 at a time and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes each side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Serve immediately with the tarter sauce.

I am entering the Culinary Smackdown, of course.

Head on over to Brenda's sight for moe great salmon dishes.