Salmon patties/croquettes - first time cooking. UPDATE: Last self-kicking - PICS of the results
Last edited Sun Feb 26, 2017, 03:04 PM - Edit history (1)
They were a lost treasure of my childhood, a staple from now-lapsed Catholic Lent. The recipe was not among those I sat my mother down to interview. I don't remember whether she ever made them or whether it was my grandmother who did. Anyway, it's been some sixty years without the family version, only rarely in a cafeteria type setting.
So now my generation of cousins are adjusting to our role at being the Olds and one of my cousins sent out what she said was our grandmother's recipe, saying she had been presented our grandmother's recipes when she married. So there it is, below. Simple and non-gourmet. I Googled and reconfirmed that stuff on the internet is WAaaay "sophisticated" and snooty with exotic ingredients from pre-digested entrails of extinct species.
But I had questions: What kind of potatoes? New or russet? A cousin and the internet confirmed it should be the starchy, baking kind. Then where the recipe said, "make mashed potatoes" did this mean actual Mashed P. with milk and stuff? Answer, no, just mashed/crushed up.
Still unanswered: Pink or red salmon? I am doing the pink. To the gourmets in Lounge, don't SNEER at my pedestrian simplesse, using CANNED things, whatever. And I've only bought flour a couple of times in my life, and picked the whole grain organic from an employee owned company at twice the price of the commonest type. A hint of my partial hippie days of natural foods and unnatural vitamin supplements (long gone). Still, any corrections or improvements will be honored, mocking will not be.
One of the things Lounge taught me to change about my mother's recipes was where she said, "Heat the olive oil until it smokes." Some Loungeteer fumed, "*DON'T* make it SMOKE!1 That releases carcinogens!1" But the real gem was somebody here, whom I've never seen before or since, who said, "I'm a German male but know cooking. The correct temperature is to heat the pan first, then add the oil. When you see the little waves, that is the correct temperature."
******************* GRANDMOTHER'S Salmon Patties:
* 2 large cans salmon
* 1 1/2 large or 3 small potatoes
* 4 eggs - separated
* 1-2 tbls flour
* Salt/pepper to taste
Boil potatoes, make mashed potatoes, mix with salmon Salt/pepper
Batter: Separate 4 egges, beat whites, fold into yolk. Add flour
Make patty and dip into batter
Fry in hot skillet until golden each side. Turn carefully. Drain on paper towel.
= new reply since forum marked as read
'stealing' this for Cooking + Baking Group, and maybe for myself! We didn't have these when growing up, but I've liked them when tried, on occasion.
And maybe a pinch of sugar.
ETA: In the recipe, not as a sauce. 
Last edited Sun Feb 26, 2017, 04:06 PM - Edit history (1)
What kind of Old are you?
Well, what can be done to something from a can and a boiled potato?!1 So I could taste the fish and the potato, but the unique flavor I remember from the batter was just not really there. And it was a bit dry at times. As I remember the crust, it was thicker and crunchy and flavorful.
That crusty thing was like what the internet says about the bottom, burned part in paella: "The socarrat in paella is one of the most important keys for fabulous flavor. The socarrat is the crusty crispy bottom of the paella that becomes caramelized and toasted on the bottom of the pan when it is cooking."
