How to Turn a Can of Salmon Into Fancy Canapes
Tuna is arguably the most popular canned fish on the market, but its image is strongly associated with school lunches and rare snacks. On the other hand, canned salmon can rise above their station, dazzling and delighting even in unusual situations. You just have to treat him with a little respect.
Welcome to Cheap Chow Week ! Food is now more expensive than it ever was, and it might seem like the only cost-effective options for you are fast food or instant ramen. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This week, we’ll show you how to buy, prepare, and eat food in a cost-effective way without sacrificing pleasure or taste.
There are two ways to serve canned salmon; I have been eating one since childhood, the other since twenty. Both are extremely easy (and inexpensive) to put together.
Salmon croquettes
My grandmother made them for as long as I can remember, usually serving them with cornbread and chopped tomatoes, and this is one of my favorite summer dinners. Growing up with a disability in the North Mississippi, and my grandmother became a master of canning, I was still shocked when she revealed her extremely simple method of making these things. “It’s a can of salmon, eggs and as many onions as you want,” she explained, sticking to her lifelong philosophy of never measuring a damn thing. Add enough flour until you get the consistency you want, then sauté the patties in the fatty bacon. (If these instructions are not all of Grandma Jewel’s culinary worldview divided into two sentences, I don’t know what it is.)
As vague as these instructions were, I watched her do it enough times to know what sequence she was talking about, so I was able to come up with a more formalized recipe. I haven’t bothered much with this, and just added a little seasoning to liven it up a bit. I also made them mini because mini food always seems fun and trendy. To make them you will need:
- 1 5-ounce can of pink salmon
- 1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
- Pepper to taste
- Bacon Lubricant or your favorite cooking oil (use bacon and fat for an authentic Granny’s Jewel experience).
Drain the salmon and remove any remaining pieces of bone or skin. Put everything in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Heat the fat in a nonstick skillet over medium to high heat until shimmery, then shape the salmon mixture into small patties and sauté them for a few minutes on each side, until they are nice and golden brown. Let them cool on paper towels for a few minutes and serve with a spoon or sour cream (or crème fraîche) with finely chopped garlic if desired.
Salmon spread
Is this just a glorified canned fish salad on breadcrumbs? Yes, but this is a very tasty piece of the genre and everyone loves the nice spread. It’s just as easy to make as tuna salad when you were young, but should be eaten with fancy crackers, not wonder bread. (Actually, forget what I said about this; it will look like a tea sandwich, without the crust.) To make it, you will need:
- 1 5-ounce can of pink salmon
- 1/2 large shallots, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vermouth
- 2 tablespoons crème fraîche (or sour cream, or labne for slightly different options)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- Juice of 1/4 small lemon
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Drain the salmon, remove any pieces of skin or bone and place in a bowl. Sauté the shallots in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add the vermouth to the skillet and let cool for about half a minute. Allow the vermouth shallots to cool, then add to the salmon along with the rest of the ingredients. Stir everything gently to combine, then chill for an hour in the refrigerator before serving alongside the finest water crackers, small endive cups, or a really delicious tea sandwich. (Oh, and if you want to go in a smoky direction, just add a couple of drops of our friend’s liquid smoke . It’s a scam, but it’s a good kind of scam.)