Salmon Cakes with Arugula Salad

SALMON CAKES WITH ARUGULA SALAD is the perfect romantic dinner for two.
A beautiful, delicious and super simple to make dinner that is sure to impress with its flavor and presentation.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO MAKE MY SALMON CAKES WITH ARUGULA SALAD

You want to make this recipe, if you want something delicious and healthy for dinner. Also, great for a romantic dinner for two.

WHY I CREATED THIS RECIPE.

I wanted to share a healthy, romantic recipe that is perfect for you to make and impress your loved one. I wanted something that was easy to prepare, could be made ahead of time and was easy to clean up. Nobody wants to be doing a ton of dishes after a romantic dinner.

HOW TO MAKE SALMON CAKES WITH ARUGULA SALAD

You can make the dressing, and the salmon cakes earlier in the day or day before. Store both wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

The key to having a good consistency in the salmon cakes is dividing the salmon in half after cutting it into dice. You will puree the first half with the lemon and mustard in your food processor. You will then add the remaining diced salmon, red pepper, shallot and seasoning to the food processor, and pulse about 4-5 times. More to blend than to break down the added ingredients.

Adding the panko breadcrumbs to the salmon mixture gives you the perfect consistency to hold together while cooking.
I like to place the patties on a parchment lined small baking sheet. Lining the baking sheet allows for easy clean up.
You want the salmon patties to have time to firm up either in the refrigerator (if you are not cooking right away) or in the freezer. You do not want to leave them in the freezer for more than about 5 minutes.

For the dressing you want to really whisk together your whole milk and lemon juice. This will form a thicker, uneven texture, similar to buttermilk. Add in your thick sour cream, tangy dijon, spices and you have a great creamy, somewhat decadent dressing. You will have extra, store unused portions covered in the refrigerator for a day or two.

As far as the toppings to the salad, I used radishes, microgreens and the remaining diced red bell pepper. You can use pretty much whatever you fancy. You can add fresh herbs like dill, or a few edible flowers.

Perfect dessert to finish this meal is Paleo Death by Chocolate Cupcakes.  These can be made ahead of time and will definitely melt is heart!

Health benefits of adding Salmon to your diet.

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Salmon Cakes with Arugula Salad

SALMON CAKES WITH ARUGULA SALAD is the perfect romantic dinner for two. A beautiful, delicious and super simple to make dinner that is sure to impress with its flavor and presentation.

Course Dinner

Keyword Arugula, Romantic, Salad,, Salmon

Prep Time 24 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 patties

Ingredients

Salmon:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
• 1 pound salmon preferably wild, skinned
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice divided (1/2 lemon)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard divided
• 1 red bell pepper diced, divided (1/2 cup for salmon cakes, the remaining in the salad)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot 1 small shallot
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs

Dressing:

• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice 1/2 lemon
• ½ cup full cream sour cream
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salad

• 1 5 ounce package arugula
• 3 tablespoons microgreens preferably radish, arugula, or broccoli
• 1 cup sliced radishes

Instructions

Salmon:

1. Chop salmon into ¼”-½” dice and place half of the diced Salmon in a food processor.
2. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon mustard.
3. Process, scraping down the sides as necessary, until smooth. Add the remaining salmon, bell pepper, shallot, salt and pepper and pulse until the mixture is combined but still chunky. Just a few pulses, you want to leave some of the chunks in the mixture.
4. Transfer the salmon mixture to a medium bowl. Add breadcrumbs and stir until combined.
5. Divide the mixture into 4 parts and form each part into a ball. Place each ball on a parchment lined plate, or small baking sheet. Gently push down each ball to form a 4” wide 1 1/2”-2” thick patty.
6. If you are making ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. If you are planning on cooking right away, place in the freezer while you prepare dressing.
7. Heat oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Add the salmon cakes, leave as much space between each cake as you have available. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until browned, and flip cooking an additional 2-3 minutes on the final side. Transfer to a clean plate or baking sheet.

Dressing:

1. Whisk together milk and lemon juice, until bubbly. Add in sour cream and dijon mustard, until evenly blended. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Set aside, you will have extra.

Salad:

1. Add arugula and radishes, remaining red pepper to the dressing in the large serving bowl. Toss to coat. Serve the salmon cakes on top of the salad.
2. Place remaining dressing on the side for topping if desired.

Recipe Notes

Store uneaten cooked cakes wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator to enjoy the next day for lunch, on toasted bread, a drizzle of the dressing and a bit of the arugula.