Salmon Fishcakes

My husband and I had an awesome time in Pulaski, NY over the weekend, fly fishing for King Salmon on Orwell Creek. This has been an annual Autumn retreat for us and as a team, we took home 7 fish! Not bad for a weekend of fun, as most of our catch will be shared with closest family and friends.

Today, I've decided to make the first fillet of our catch as Fishcakes, remembering Jamie Oliver's take on a Brazilian fritters called "Bolinho de Bacalau" made with white fish. I've been a big fan of Jamie since I first saw his show, "The Naked Chef" on the Food Channel! Besides, who couldn't resist a guy like him? A beautiful Chef with a British accent? Wow! He's totally impressive! He makes simple food so interesting and mouth-watering. So, while I think about Jamie Oliver's South American Fishcakes, I decided to concoct my own and this is what I came up with...Fresh Salmon Fishcakes with almost the same ingredients as Jamie's without the mashed potatoes, and just added a few more seasonings and using Panko as my binder and outer crust! It's like Jamie Oliver's take on a Brazilian Fishcake meets Moi, with an Eastern Flair!

Hope you'll try my version someday and let me know how it fairs out?! Because according to my husband, it's the best one he had so far! :-) Crispy in the outside, and moist and super-flavorful in the inside!

Ingredients:
1 lb of Salmon Fillet, broiled, de-boned, and flaked
1 Shallot, finely diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Chives, finely chopped
1 tsp Fennel
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1 egg
3 Tbsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)

Breading:
1 cup or more Panko

Vegetable Oil

Calamansi or Lemon Wedges
Vidalia Onion Dressing

Directions:
Season salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Broil in the oven for 15 minutes. Flake the fillet in a large glass bowl, removing any bones. Add the shallot, garlic, chives, fennel, chili powder, egg, mayonnaise, olive oil and Panko. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Using an ice cream scooper, take about a tbsp of the salmon mixture, roll into a ball with your hands, flatten it, then dredge in Panko bread crumbs. Place cake in a pan lined with wax paper.

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil until it reaches 350 degrees. Fry Salmon Fishcakes for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve with a side of salad, calamansi or lemon wedges and Vidalia Onion Dressing for dipping.