Coconut & Old Bay Salmon Cakes

served with Lemon Dill Yogurt

Salty, Sweet, & Spicy! Simply Scrumptious!

This is an easy version on the fabulous dish! A hit for any occasion including a cocktail party to fun family dinner. A great way to introduce children into the kitchen and the entertainer’s instant hit! Quick. Easy. Inexpensive.

I served them on a pinch with my favorite Basil, Tomato, Potato Salad (shown above), and left overs for a beautiful Sunday Brunch! Make extra’s and cut your weekend’s cooking in half!

Now Roll up your sleeves and let the kids play with their food!

Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 15 min Servings: 4-6 entree Dif: EASY

Clean Up Time:   Sorry!

Ingredients Crab Cakes:

• 3 cups canned Salmon - strained

• 2 Eggs - beaten
• 2 cups Dried Coconut  - more if you like sweeter
• 2  cups Panko (plain bread crumbs)
• ¼ cup Lemon juice
• ½ cup Mayo
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tbsp Dill
• ⅓  cup Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 cup Coconut Oil - for frying   * Vegetable oil is just fine

* These do not need any extra salt! Even at the end because you want that coconut to really pull thru.

** If you’re not familiar with Old Bay… it’s fantastic spice blend for seafood, but it’s heavily salty so if you’re looking for more Heat - as these are mild, add plain Cayenne pepper.

Ingredients Garish:

• 1 cup Plain Yogurt of choice
• 1 Lemon - Juice & Zest
• 1 Tbsp Dill
• Salt to taste

WHAT ELSE YOU’RE GOING TO NEED

Prepare with lots of paper towels around because  this is best done by getting your hands dirty!  

Mise en place!  Because you’re going to be with dirty hands most of the time, have all your ingredients measured and set  up for you when you need them.

• a skillet with the oil -not turned on yet.
• a large bowl to start mixing everything together
• a regular sized bowl you’ll have for the breading
• Fish spatula, or slotted spoon - these work best as to not splash extra grease when flipping!
• Cookie sheet or plate for the cakes - before, and then layered with paper towels for draining after cakes are fried.
• Space in refrigerator for the large bowl to chill before shaping.  *Do Not put in Freezer*

 

WHERE TO NOW…

In the smaller bowl mix the Panko and Coconut together. Put the Oil in the skillet if you haven’t already...  Put everything away as soon as your done with it... trust me, you'll thank me later!

In the Large bowl, mix the Drained Salmon, Lemon juice, & Old Bay Seasoning, let sit for a couple minutes to really absorb the flavor.

Toss in the rest of the ingredients and mix by hand until it’s completed coated. Now pour ½ the crumbs and coconut mixture, gently fold in with hands, then refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

• If your mixture seems a bit too wet… this is why it’s going into the fridge - it’ll thicken up and be easier to mold.
• If it’s too dry as in crumbling and not holding together at all… add another egg or tsp of mayo.
• Try forming a patty and if it’s barely holding together because it’s damp - then you’ve got the right consistency.

While waiting it’s a great time to start on your Garnish ...

You’ll need one more bowl, and a anything but your hand to mix it all together… Voila it’s finished. Toss it in the fridge until ready to serve.

CAKE TIME:

Grab the mixture, sheet tray, and remaining Panko & Coconut mix.

By hand start forming your cakes to a desired shape…

*Too Small they will burn! If you’re making an appetizer size you’re going to need to bake these at 375 for - 7-10 minutes pending on size. * OR you can fry them just the same but think of them a simple flash! I would not recommend this for beginners.

Also you don’t want them too thick or they won’t cook all the way thru.

Drop the cakes in the Panko mix and make sure coated, pressing if you need to make it stick...

Turn oil to Med- High temperature, you’ll be cooking these slower to cook all the way thru and not to burn your coconut!

The non-kid friendly part:

Basically you’re cooking these for 3-4 minutes on each side… You want to make sure they are light brown, then flip over carefully.

The light brown is important because they will continue to cook after you pull them out of the oil, turning them much darker and into that pretty golden color your desiring, as well as keeping the inside relatively moist. (Sorry I know everyone hates that word, but really nothing else works here.)

If you’re doing batches you can most likely use the oil for 2 batches… if more than that you should have 2 pans going or change the oil to finish the rest.

Take the cakes out carefully and let them drain on the paper towels before serving. This is where most people put salt on their fried food… because this is covered in coconut, and the Old Bay throughout… I highly wouldn’t recommend it, but of course try one first and see what you think.

FINALLY....

Plate with whatever you’re serving with! You can put the sauce on the side for people to help themselves, or a dollop on, however you’d like. Again here I made a non-mayo, Tomato and Basil, Red Potato Salad which is great now the weather has changed! I’ll post that shortly so keep a look out!

I hope you enjoy! And in case you have left overs....

There’s an Amazing Brunch in your future!