Patty Cake, Patty Cake

The couple of local restaurants we frequent probably wonder if we've moved. Or died. With a three-year-old and a three-month-old here all summer, it has been infinitely easier to cook supper than to go out to eat. Getting there is production in itself and then we need eat in a hurry, in hopes that we finish before the baby cries. 

I've cooked a lot of suppers in the last two months. A whole lot. But somehow I managed to forget about this one. When our two girls were growing up, this was one of the rare things they both loved. And in Mommy's household, it's the same way. It is one of the very favorite things she makes. Her husband says it tastes like the ones his grandmother used to make. That is high praise.

Daughter Jessica also makes the same recipe but says she figured out her friends liked it only if she said she was making "salmon cakes." The word "patty" seems to bother the city crowd. We are not that fancy on the farm. You can call them patties or cakes. They are delicious with either name!

It is easy to keep a can of salmon in the pantry for those days when you're out of nearly everything. Like I was today. When I spied the can of salmon, I let out a sigh of relief. I didn't have to make another trip to the store this afternoon. 

 SALMON PATTIES

1 (14.75-oz.) can of pink salmon (my mother called it a "tall can")
1 egg
2/3 cup Bisquick
2 tablespoons of minced onion (optional)
cooking oil (canola, corn, or peanut, etc.)

Pour salmon and liquid into mixing bowl. Remove the round bones (and I like to remove most of the skin, too.) Stir in the remaining ingredients. Let sit a few minutes while oil in heating.

Heat about a 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet. Spoon salmon mixture into medium-hot oil and shape into patties. Let brown on one side, then carefully turn over and brown the other side. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Makes 8 salmon patties


We like this with mashed potatoes, English peas and cole slaw. Today I made cucumber salad instead of slaw since we have fresh cucumbers in our garden.

I knew Little Sister really loved this. She watched me take the platter full of salmon patties from the warming drawer and asked with a big smile on her face, eyes wide in anticipation, "Is that my plate?"

I will tell you that both of my daughters have discovered small cans of boneless, skinless salmon. It takes three cans to equal the "tall" can that I use. I don't particularly mind putting my hands into the salmon to remove the bones and such. But if that bothers you, you can buy the kind they do.