Salmon Cakes

I'm a huge fan of crab cakes -- what Maryland-born woman wouldn't be -- but I decided to give salmon cakes a try. They will never replace crab cakes but I am very happy with them as an alternative when crabs are scarce.


I served this batch of salmon cakes with remoulade and a spinach salad of pine nuts, black olives, orzo, and radicchio. 

Salmon Cakes


1/2 lb fresh salmon
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 T mayo
Squirt of Dijon mustard
A handful of plain breadcrumbs
1 t capers
Dash of Worcestershire
A couple shakes of Texas Pete's hot sauce (Tabasco is fine)
Your favorite chopped herbs - I used tarragon and chives
Pulse salmon in food processor until chopped
Combine the remaining ingredients and stir.
Add chopped salmon.
Shape into cakes.
Heat a pan and add vegetable oil.
When hot, saute cakes until brown.

Hot Cow!

I planted cowhorn peppers this summer. The guide said that they were 'medium hot'. I LOVE hot food and was afraid I would be disappointed by the milder cowhorns. Oh man, was I wrong! The best hot sauce I've made:

8-10 pineapple sage leaves
¼ cup diced red onion
1 clove garlic
¾ cup diced tomatoes
¾ T EVOO
2 cowhorn peppers
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¾ t salt
¾ t white sugar

1. In a saucepan, heat EVOO. Add red onion, cowhorn peppers, and garlic. Let it go for about 3 or 4 minutes.
2. Reduce heat. Add vinegar, tomatoes, salt and sugar. Let that simmer for about 5 more minutes.
3. Add pineapple sage leaves and simmer another minute or two.
4. Put it all in a blender and whir until pureed.
5. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
6. Let cool and then pour into a small glass container.
7. Taste it and comment that it's not too hot.
8. Wait 20 seconds.
9. Comment on how it's got a little zing.
10. Wait 15 seconds.
11. Say, "Oh man, that's a nice burn!"
12. Cover and refrigerate.

BBQ and Crazy No Cabbage Slaw-like Thing

I picked up some pre-cooked carnitas from Trader Joe's and needed to do something with it. I decided to make a BBQ sandwich by dressing the pork with a friend's special, award winning sauce (Russ & Frank's Sassy BBQ Sauce http://www.russandfranks.com/).

I wanted a cool slaw to go with it but didn't have any cabbage. Having spent over an hour commuting home from work, I didn't want to go out again so I concocted a mock-slaw from the following:

Grated carrots, radishes, and granny smith apples, thinly sliced red onion and green pepper -- and a dressing made of mayo, mustard, rice vinegar, agave (to sweeten), salt & pepper, and a dash of Pete's Hot Sauce. I served it over a bed of fresh greens and topped with a few mini heirloom tomatoes. Whole wheat rolls because my doc says so. It was yummy but in my heart, slaw needs cole (cabbage) and I'll include that next time.