Sweet-Potato Salmon Cakes

You know spring is in the air when fresh-not-previously-frozen salmon starts showing up in the fish market. Just the other week, troll-caught king was available here in Seattle, so I knew it was time to have salmon for dinner.

While at Ballard’s Wild Salmon seafood market buying salmon for an event, I picked up some additional fish for myself. Last week I received sweet potatoes in my CSA delivery from Full Circle on the same day I had planned on having the salmon for dinner. I grilled the salmon and served it chilled over a spinach salad with snap peas, but we had some left over. (Normally we would eat nearly a pound hot off the grill, but I had forgotten my husband doesn’t like cold salmon.)

In the past, I have made sweet potato-and-quinoa cakes, so I thought I could figure out a way to make a sweet potato-and-salmon version to use up the salmon. As I was flipping thru my most recent issue of Food & Wine, I saw a recipe that I used as inspiration, but as usual, I made several changes.

Sweet Potato-Salmon Cakes
Makes 12 patties, to serve 4 as an entrée
2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted and peeled
1 pound cooked salmon (I used troll-caught king)
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon dried ginger)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 onion, grated
1 stalk celery, small dice
1/4 cup minced parsley
2 eggs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sesame seeds
Olive oil for pan frying

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Wash the sweet potatoes, pierce a few times with a knife, then roast for about an hour in the preheated oven. (Note: This step can be done a day or two ahead of time—just scoop the flesh out of the peel and refrigerate the potato.)

Our salmon had been grilled outside on the gas grill—between rain showers—but you can use any type of cooked salmon. (This is also something you can do a day ahead of time, preferably not in the rain.)

In a medium bowl, flake the salmon. Add the roasted sweet potato flesh and everything else—except for the olive oil. Stir with a fork until combined. The mixture should resemble the photo at right.

Next, form the mixture into equal patties using either a 4-ounce scoop (as seen in the photo) or 1/2 cup measuring cup. You should have about a dozen patties.

Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the patties to the pan in batches. (Here I used a 8-inch skillet in which I could fit five patties without crowding.) Cook about 3 minutes per side. Place in a 350° F oven while the remaining salmon cakes cook.

I served the salmon-sweet potato cakes with a dab of wasabi aioli (about 1/4 cup mayonnaise to 2 teaspoons wasabi paste and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice), but for Whole30 compliance, I put them over sautéed kale or chard with garlic. They would also be good with rice, a spinach salad or  even some simple grilled asparagus.

Recipe inspired by Potato-and-Wild-Salmon Cakes with Ginger and Scallions from Food & Wine, March 2012, page 100.