The first time I bought a can of wild Alaskan pink salmon, I thought I was supposed to remove the bones and skin, just like a regular fillet of fish. It took me almost an hour to manage it and I was so frustrated by the end of it that after I made salmon cakes, I swore up and down that I would never buy canned salmon again.
Well, that didn’t happen. But I’ll tell you what did: I learned how to eat tinned fish in Latvia. I learned that the canning process involved in tinning fish at least partially, if not fully, cooks the fish, softening the bones so they may be easily and painlessly eaten. I also, and most importantly, learned that tinned fish is pretty damned good.
Latvia is famous for one of its biggest exports: sprats (šprotes). When I was in Liepāja, my husband showed me the wall of refrigerated tinned fishies, some packed in oil, some in tomato sauce, and so on. He picked out a couple of different brands that he enjoyed, one of which was Rīgas Zelts, still my favorite brand of šprotes. I picked out a loaf of bread and we took them back to our flat to enjoy before a movie.
Dubiously, I picked out a sprat and laid it gently on a hunk of bread, the oil drizzling itself over the bread’s nooks and crannies. The fish was thankfully missing its head, though not its fins, scales or other unmentionable fishie parts. I watched my husband take a large bite, shearing through the body of the fish with ease. I looked back at the fish, which seemed to look back at me. Shrugging my shoulders and thinking of the food rule I live by (“try anything and everything twice”), I took my first bite.
I had feared it would be slimy, or worse. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised. The fish was full of flavor, rich and meaty. The bones and skin were nearly unnoticeable, the fins a pleasant change of texture. I was hooked.
Within a few days, I’d badgered my patient, loving husband into buying me more tins, then began branching out into all the wonderful fishie snacks enjoyed by Latvians. Before I left Latvia in 2008, my mother-in-law made me one of her favorite fishie snacks: fried lamprey in aspic. That, however, is another story. (I’ll say this: Don’t be afraid of lampreys either. Really tasty critters but I can’t bring myself to eat the head and all its horrible teeth.)
The moral of this story is: Don’t be afraid of tinned fish. You don’t have to de-bone, just dump it in a bowl and mash it up. Within seconds, it’ll look just like tuna.
Easy Salmon Cakes [printable recipe]
Makes about 8 cakes
- 1 15 oz can pink salmon, drained
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp crushed red chile flakes
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp dried parsley or 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp lemon-pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce, such as Tabasco
- 2 – 3 tbsp oil
Combine everything in a large bowl. Mash together well. Form balls of the salmon mixture and flatten into patties about 3″ across and 1/2″ thick. Fry patties over moderate heat in a skillet with 1 tbsp oil until nicely golden brown, about 2 – 3 minutes per side.
Serve with Garlic Sauce, tartar sauce, mayonnaise or other creamy sauce.
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I really love salmon cakes. I’ll try your recipe eventually.
Another think to do with a can of salmon : http://scorpiowoman.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/salmon-pie/
I love salmon pie. And I always keep the bone and skin. The bone is calcium, it’s good for our health.
Oh, interesting! I’ve never heard of that before. I’m going to have to keep that in mind for a future meal, because I can already think of a few ingredients I’d love to throw in with it. Thanks for the idea!
With as much kefir as I drink, I’m not too worried about my calcium intake ;-) But it is a great tip to remember, especially for women who don’t have a dairy habit.
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