Southern Salmon Croquettes

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Old-school soul food breakfast: canned salmon mashed with egg, grated onion and crushed saltines, chilled until firm, then shallow-fried in a cornmeal crust until the edges shatter. Crisp outside, creamy and savory inside — perfect over cheese grits with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of hot sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (14.75 oz each) pink or red salmon, packed in water
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup grated yellow onion, plus its juices
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 24 saltine crackers, finely crushed (about 1 cup crumbs)
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)

• 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, for shallow frying
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle

Instructions

1. Drain the canned salmon well, pressing gently in a fine-mesh sieve for 2 to 3 minutes to remove as much liquid as possible — wet salmon is the number one reason croquettes fall apart. Turn it out onto a plate and flake with a fork, mashing the soft round vertebrae bones into the flesh (they are edible, calcium-rich, and dissolve into the mix) and discarding any tough skin if you prefer.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the whole egg, extra yolk, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, lemon zest, black pepper, paprika and salt until smooth. Stir in the grated onion with its juices, the celery and the parsley.
3. Add the flaked salmon and the crushed saltines. Fold with a rubber spatula just until evenly combined — about 15 strokes. The mixture should hold together when squeezed in your palm; if it feels loose, add 2 more tablespoons of cracker crumbs and rest 5 minutes.
4. Divide into 8 portions (about 1/3 cup each) and shape into patties about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick, packing them firmly so there are no cracks around the edge. Place on a parchment-lined plate or sheet pan.
5. Chill the patties, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 12 hours). This is the step that makes them hold in the skillet — the egg and cracker binder firms up and the surface dries slightly so the coating sticks.
6. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce and chopped pickle for the sauce; refrigerate. On a shallow plate, whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt and cayenne.
7. Press each chilled patty into the cornmeal mixture, coating both sides and the edges, and gently tap off the excess. Return them to the plate.
8. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (a pinch of cornmeal should sizzle briskly, and the oil should be about 1/4 inch deep). Add the butter and let it foam.
9. Fry 4 croquettes at a time, leaving space between them, for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crisp. Flip only once, using a thin fish spatula, and adjust the heat to keep the oil between 340°F and 360°F. Internal temperature should reach 160°F.
10. Transfer to a wire rack (not paper towels, which steam the crust) and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Fry the second batch, adding a splash more oil if needed. Serve hot over cheese grits or with eggs, with the lemon hot sauce mayo and lemon wedges alongside.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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