SALMON PATTIES - SALMONE POLPETTINE

    

Salmon Patties - Salome Polpettine

These make such a warm and cozy main dish, for a dinner on a cold winter day, and actually I make these all year long. Let me know if you try these. Would love to hear from other cooks.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped celery (about 5 stalks)

7 scallions

2 slices white or whole wheat bread (crusts removed)

1/3 to ½ cup whole milk (enough to soften the bread)

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 Tbsp. of whole wheat flour

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cans 6 oz. each of wild Alaskan salmon with skin and bones removed

extra virgin olive oil for sautéing

2 lemons cut lengthwise into quarters (for serving at the table)

Directions:

Cut off the bottom of the celery and cut off the top ends of the celery by about ¼ of an inch, if the ends are dried out. Thoroughly rinse off the celery to remove any dirt.  Remove all leaves and reserve for another use.  Remove any tough strings from the stalks by placing your knife under the strings and pulling them lengthwise down the celery stalk. Or remove the strings with a vegetable peeler by shaving a thin layer off.  Chop into a small dice ¼ to 1/3 inch. Cut off the bottoms of the scallions and the tough green tops. Remove the outer layer, and cut the scallions into thin slices. 

Tear the bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the milk and thoroughly mush up the bread and milk with a fork. Add the lightly beaten eggs, and stir. Add the 2 tablespoons of flour, a good pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly ground pepper. Stir again and add the chopped celery, the scallions,  and the chopped parsley.  Mix together thoroughly.  Form into small patties, about 1 ½ inch in diameter.

Put enough olive oil in a large sauté pan to come up to a depth of ¼ inch. Heat the oil and when it is hot enough to sizzle when a small piece of the salmon mixture is placed in the oil, add the patties. Do not crowd. Sauté until golden brown on one side and then turn over and sauté until golden brown on other side. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to blot the oil off, then  transfer the patties to  a serving plate and  serve them, or transfer to an oven proof dish and place in a warm oven until you are ready to serve them.

Serve with a lemon quarter or two for each person. Mayonnaise,   Aïoli or sour cream goes very well with these patties. 

TIP
If they are a little loose after you have mixed all the ingredients together add a tablespoon or two of flour, and mix it into mixture.