My Love Affair with Food: Salmon Croquettes

Today is a day that I felt like a little decadence and sophistication. I am talking of course about the demure fried salmon patty. Oh man talk about delicious! It instantly conjures images of my childhood. I can remember eating then with my Dad on weekends. We would eat salmon patties and fries dipped generously in ketchup and lots of hot sauce. And to this day the smell of that prepackaged salmon makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And with a feeling like that this dish is something I will never abandon despite my feelings of love toward hoity toity foods like lamb chops and my relationship with all kinds of ethnic foods from Asian to Latin to Middle Eastern. This is something I feel is down home southern food at its best. So dont knock it. Try it and see what you think. And yes, I am sure there are TONS of ways I could take this humble inexpensive meal and turn it into something more gourmet. But I won't. It is like messing with a childhood memory and altering it to make it better than it was.

So what is in this dish? The simplest things in the world!!

Recipe:
2 cans salmon (either bones in or out...just make sure if using the ones with bones and skin that you remove all of that before using....and unless you are in a huge hurry I would recommend bone in)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4c all purpose flour
1/4c cornmeal**
salt and pepper

**the best cornmeal in the world is Hoover's fine white cornmeal. And most people in this part of the state will agree that nothing compares to it. So do yourself a favor and have some shipped to whatever part of the country you are reading this from.

Simply add all the ingredients together and form into balls or patties, depending on personal preference.

Heat a skillet with about 1/4in of oil. You want enough in the pan so its frying and not sauting. You want your heat at about medium-high. Since the salmon is ready to eat you just want a nice brown crust on the outside.