My grandmother always used to make me salmon patties. As someone who wasn’t (isn’t) such a huge carnivore, they were a nice compromise when I wasn’t all that interested in the more common burgers or pork chops. Recently, I returned to them when it occurred to me that I was really tired of tuna and slightly guilty for eating what is likely an overfished species so often. Canned wild salmon is equally shelf stable, and readily affordable, unlike fresh wild salmon. After hearing someone else mention them, I decided that they would be a great addition to my diet.
They have a hint of nostalgia about them– the era of the elevation of the can in your average kitchen and the sensibility of two veg, one meat, and bread for dinner. With milk. Adele Davis would approve. The classic salmon patty is canned salmon, generally mixed with an egg and some pepper, shaped into small burgers and cooked in oil. I’ve updated them and added some tips on how to best work with canned salmon. If you want splurge for an occasion, buy fresh salmon, steam it, and flake it with a fork. Substitute for the canned salmon in my recipe.
About Salmon: Buy wild salmon. It tends to be higher in the omega-3 fats that your diet probably lacks. The salmon with bones adds calcium to your diet, but you need to mash the bones. It’s fairly easy to mash them with the back of a spoon, or the flat of a knife. I have a friend who is still horrified by canned salmon after her experiences with whole bones in her school lunches. Always rinse well to remove excess salt.
Salmon Artichoke Patties
6 oz canned salmon, drained and chopped
6 oz marinated artichokes, drained and minced
2 tsp cornmeal
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 tsp oregano flakes
Pepper to taste
Mustard to taste
1. Mix all ingredients together until well blended.
2. Shaped into 6 (approximately 2 1/2″ or 7 cm) patties.
3. Cook over medium low heat on an oiled or non-stick griddle until for about 6 minutes per side, or until browned on both sides. Tip: the color of the salmon lightens when it starts to cook. Watch the bottom edges and flip after they are uniformly the lighter color.
4. Serve warm, with your choice of sides and sauces. I like chili-garlic sauce and dijon mustard.
Sustainable Cooking for One 
10 cm is 4″
Baking patties is a less finicky way to cook fat-free if you use non-stick. Are those sheets I have for my cookie sheets teflon or silverstone?