Salmon Cakes (with Sweet Chili Mayo)

You may notice that this picture is devoid of any garnishes. That's because I made this up as I went along, and took the picture before I even knew what condiments I wanted to add. And the food was getting cold.

This was my improvised lunch for today. Now sometimes when I improvise, it doesn't turn out so well. But this one actually worked out quite well. After a google search of various salmon cake recipes, I decided to just throw together whatever I had and hope for the best for the cakes.

Now the sauce was completely experimental and ended up really making the salmon cakes. After frying the cakes lightly in olive oil, I wasn't sure what condiment would be best to accompany it. So I set out mayo, sweet chili sauce, and sour cream on the table. I ended up nixing the sour cream because it just seemed weird. I first tried a bite of the salmon cakes with the sweet chili sauce, but it didn't quite do it justice. Then I tried a bite with the mayo, which was an improvement, but something was still missing. Then I thought, how about if I mix both mayo and sweet chili sauce together? I put a bit of each in a little bowl and mixed them together. I then squeezed some lime juice in for good measure. This turned out to be the perfect combination of sweet and tangy from the chili sauce and creamy from the mayo. By the end I was using the last bit of salmon to wipe up the last of the sauce.


Salmon Cakes

For the cakes:

1 6 oz can of salmon

1/2 a small onion, grated

1 garlic clove, grated

1 egg, beaten

About 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

A pinch of cayenne pepper

Limes for garnish (thought of this after I took the picture)

Olive oil for cooking

For the sweet chili mayo:

About 1 Tbs mayo

About 1 Tbs sweet chili sauce (found in Asian grocery stores and in Asian aisle of supermarkets)

a squeeze of lime juice

Makes two patties about the size of the palm of your hand

Method:

Combine all ingredients to make the salmon cakes in a bowl until mixed evenly. Divide in half and pat into two patties about the size of your palm. Heat some olive oil in a pan. Cook the cakes for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.

To make the sauce, stir mayo, chili sauce, and lime juice until combined. Don't worry if it's a little lumpy, it will taste fine.