Salmon Burgers

First of all, if you haven't checked out LaDonna Gunderson's tome on cooking everything with salmon, you should do it! 

http://www.amazon.com/Salmon-Desserts-Friends-Ladonna-Gundersen/dp/157833523X

Mom picked up a copy for each of us, and we find it an incredibly useful resource for new recipes using canned salmon (though it contains recipes for fresh and smoked salmon as well).

I don't want to give away the recipe here because I really do want you to buy the book, but it should be no surprise to our Alaskan friends and family that the main ingredients in salmon burgers are:

• canned salmon
• eggs
• panko crumbs (regular bread crumbs will do if you don't have panko crumbs)
• onion
• garlic
• basil (or dill, depending on your preference)

The sauce includes:

• mayonnaise
• lemon juice
• basil (or dill, depending on your preference)

S. and I made these on Saturday AND Sunday. One 32-oz jar of salmon yields 4 medium-sized patties. Be sure to drain the salmon well, and don't make the patties too large or they will fall apart.


-Marie

Salmon Dilly Pie

Every once in a while I try a new recipe that just doesn't quite cut it, literally.  I'm open to trying new things, and I love the ingredients of this recipe, but it didn't turn out like I expected it to.  I might make it again, using the suggested changes.  The flavor was quite good even if the texture was not.

Salmon Dilly Pie
2 cups salmon, cooked                            2 Tb butter
1 9" deep dish pie shell                           1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cheddar cheese                              2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream                                 1 tsp. cornstarch
1 bunch green onions
1 Tb dill weed

Place 1/2 c. cheddar cheese in bottom of pie shell.  Add cooked salmon over the top of the cheese.  In pan, saute chopped green onions and dill weed in butter. Add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, beaten eggs, and cornstarch.  Simmer for 10 min.  Pour cream mixture over salmon, sprinkling the top with the other 1/2 c. cheese.  Bake 375 for 40 min.

Helpful Hints
The most disappointing result of this recipe was the gelatinous texture of the filling.  I think it probably could have been cooked another 20 minutes and been just fine.  My favorite quiche recipe calls for a cooking time of 50 minutes, but I know it really takes about 75.  The leftovers are separated, ready to take to work next week.  Once I microwave them I'll know if a longer cooking time would have made a difference.

~Julie

It certainly looks tasty.  Notice the salmon chunks on the bottom.

The finished pie, all nice and brown.

Before going into the preheated oven.  Add tinfoil to the crust edges to prevent burning.

Creamy filling.

Sauteed dill weed and green onions.

Sauteed Shrimp on Warm Black Bean Salad

I got this recipe from Good Housekeeping online. It's a superb slapdash meal for those who keep frozen shrimp in their freezers like me. The only items from this recipe that I don't stock are bell peppers and cilantro because they're both so quick to wilt. 

Use the following:

• Two hands full of shrimp, already shelled and deveined
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 lime
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 can black beans, rinsed (retain the bean 'juice')
• One hand full of fresh cilantro leaves

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the shrimp. Heat half of the oil for one minute over medium heat. Sautee the shrimp for about 6 minutes, or until opaque. 

Meanwhile, grate the entire peel of the lime.

Transfer the shrimp to a small bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. 

Heat the remaining oil for one minute before adding the onion and red bell pepper. Sautee the vegetables for about 8 minutes, or until tender. Add the cumin and cook for another minute. Add the black beens, lime peel, and then squeeze all of the lime juice into the pan. Add salt and pepper, and cook until heated through. 

Spoon the black bean mixture onto your dinner plate; top with shrimp; and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

When I made it, I didn't retain the bean 'juice' or chop the cilantro--two things that I think would have improved the meal. Still, the flavor was excellent and it paired nicely with a fruity Spanish wine.

-M

Salmon Rosettes

I, like my sister, am from Alaska. It is my RIGHT -nay- my RESPONSIBILITY to love salmon. I eat it baked, grilled, smoked, and raw. Salmon in any form is pretty much my favorite food ever. My uncle P. smokes it until it's flavorful and delicious, my sister-in-law D. makes the best salmon patties I've ever tasted, and my friend B. slaps on a teriyaki glaze and grills it to perfection.

One fun thing you can do with lightly smoked salmon is make rosettes with caper leaves on toast!

Remember: It's very important to buy wild, non-farmed fish. It's good for your health, good for the environment, and good for the fishing industry.

-Marie