Ingredients
- Mayonnaise
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños, plus 2 tablespoons pickling liquid from the can or jar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- Salmon Cakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for frying
- ¾ cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 large or 2 small ears)
- ¼ cup minced shallots (about 1 medium shallot)
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise, plus more as needed
- 1 large egg
- 1 lime, cut in half
- 2 cups cooked, flaked salmon (see Tip for fresh, or from 3 (6-ounce) drained cans of boneless, skinless salmon))
- 1 cup panko
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour Lime wedges, for serving
Steps
- Make the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, jalapeños, pickling liquid and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days.
- Prepare the salmon cakes: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add the corn, shallots, garlic, ¼ teaspoon of the chipotle powder and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent, 2 to 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the jalapeños, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Set aside in the pan to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, egg, zest and juice from half the lime, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper until smooth. Add the salmon, breadcrumbs, cilantro and corn mixture and toss until well mixed. (If you’re using canned salmon, which is drier, you may need to add a few more tablespoons of mayonnaise to get the ingredients to bind.) Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up.
- Combine the flour, the remaining ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder and a generous pinch of salt on a plate. Using a ⅓-cup measure, scoop out mounds of the salmon mixture and form them into patties about ¾-inch thick. You should have 8 to 10 cakes. Dip the patties into the flour, turning to coat them on all sides. Set on a plate until ready to cook.
- Rinse and dry the skillet and return it to the stove. Add ¼ cup oil and heat over medium. When the oil is hot, working in batches, add salmon cakes and cook, pressing the cakes lightly with a spatula, until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until browned, 2 to 3 more minutes, lowering the heat if necessary to avoid splattering and to prevent the oil from browning. If any corn kernels break free during cooking, quickly scoop them out with a spoon.
- Transfer the cooked cakes to a plate lined with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining cakes, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.
- Cut the remaining lime half into wedges. Serve the salmon cakes hot, with the pickled jalapeño mayonnaise and lime wedges on the side.
- Tip: You can also cook your own salmon fillets for this recipe. Roast a 1-pound piece of salmon at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked through. Cool, then remove and discard the skin. Flake the salmon into pieces with a fork.