Salmon Croquettes

The first time I decided to make salmon for my family, I coerced my son into trying it by telling him it was a SUPER food and brain food. He immediately took to it and told us that he could feel it making his brain "smarter." Whatever it takes with the elementary school set, I guess.

But, in reality, salmon is actually a super food. This is not breaking news - there are so many health benefits to salmon that it is on our short list of fish we eat often. PLUS, I am not necessarily the most adept seafood chef, so it is pretty easy not to mess up.

Tonight's dinner: salmon croquettes, whole wheat cous cous (1/2 c serving), asparagus spears (sprinkled with Mrs. Dash seasoning) and for the boys, Alexia rolls.

Salmon Croquettes
Source: Jan/Feb 2010 Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c organic canola mayo (such as Spectrum), divided
• 4 tsp fresh lemon juice, divided (I didn't use fresh)
• 2.5 tsp Dijon mustard, divided
• 1/4 c finely chopped green onions (not included with our recipe since the hubs forgot to buy them & he did the shopping this time while I was out of town)
• 2 tbsp minced red bell pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt (I never add salt when I cook)
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 2 (6oz) packages skinless, boneless salmon (I used canned)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 c panko crumbs
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp finely chopped capers (did not include - I don't like capers)
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

• Combine 2 tbsp mayo, 1 tsp juice, 1.5 tsp mustard and next 7 ingredients (through egg), stirring together well. Add panko; toss. Shape mixture into 8 (3-inch) patties.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add patties, cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned.
• Combine remaining mayo, juice, and mustard with parsley, capers, garlic, and salt, stirring well.  (This is for the tartar sauce - didn't make it tonight)

Serving size: 2 croquettes and 1 tbsp sauce (4 servings)
Per serving: 305 calories; 19.3g fat (2.6g sat; 6g mono; 9.7g poly); 18.8g protein; 12.6g carb; 1g fiber; 88mg cholesterol; 1mg iron; 801mg sodium; 16mg calcium.

Reviews
The husband and kid both enjoyed the croquettes - the kid ate his entire serving, the hubs ate a bit extra. The recipe itself was really easy to make - I typically don't love cooking with a skillet (esp in the heat), but this wasn't too bad. However, the kid did report that he didn't feel any smarter tonight. He's obviously out-smarted us on this one.




Salmon croquettes, whole wheat cous cous and asparagus