My sisters and I are gearing up for a fun and relaxing Mother’s Day weekend. As our little tribe, we tend to go all out when it comes to cooking, resulting in an abundance of mouthwatering dishes for family and friends to enjoy over the following days.
However, this year, we’ve decided to take a different approach. Instead of packing up extras and playfully squabbling over who gets the last of the shrimp ceviche or mac & cheese, we’re streamlining our culinary efforts. Consider it a test run for all future celebrations!
Through the years, I’ve discovered that my love language is food—there’s something incredibly satisfying about preparing meals for others. Some might call it “acts of love.” Cooking is my daily joy, and when the spirit moves me, I tend to go a little overboard.
For our Mother’s Day family celebration, my sisters and I have agreed to keep things simple. We’ve planned a potluck-style brunch for Saturday, featuring all of Mom’s favorite dishes. Among them are my famous wild salmon cakes, a recipe you can find in my cookbook, Going Coastal.
Wild salmon reigns supreme on the West Coast, and luckily, it’s readily available. Depending on the season, I prefer a mix of Pink and Coho salmon varieties for this recipe. The best part? These West Coast-inspired salmon cakes don’t rely on heavy binders—just a couple of eggs and a touch of Panko breadcrumbs. Resulting in tender, flaky goodness.
Feel free to prepare these salmon cakes up to a day in advance—they also freeze well for future meals. And if you’re looking for a heartier snack, make them a tad larger, pop them into mini burger buns, and serve with your favorite toppings.
I hope your Mother’s Day weekend is filled with love, laughter, and delicious food!
Makes 10–12 salmon cakes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cooked coho or pink salmon (or 3 6-ounce cans of boneless, skinless salmon, drained)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 medium lime, juice and zest
- 2 large eggs
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying (preferably avocado, grapeseed or sunflower oil)
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the salmon, cilantro, red onion, Panko, lime juice, lime zest, eggs, and sea salt and freshly ground pepper as desired. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Portion out the salmon mixture with a 1- or 1½-ounce scoop, forming small patties as you go.
- Add patties to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and repeat until all of the salmon mix is used.
- Cover salmon patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes—this will help them hold together when cooking.
- Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat to 375°F.
- Remove the patties from the refrigerator and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides.
Serve immediately with lime wedges, guacamole, or salted avocado.
