The ubiquitous salmon croquette

 

Salmon croquettes

I am amused that on Facebook you occasionally see a picture of a platter of salmon croquettes, with the caption, “Does anyone still eat these?” I am here to shout, “Yes!” A childhood memory and still a favorite food today. Just made a small batch—one for supper and two for leftovers—they make the best sandwiches with mayo.

But I set off on an internet search for croquettes and found they are defined as small cylinders of food, with filling and a binder, breaded and fried. According to that exalted source, Wikipedia, croquettes are found in almost every cuisine throughout the world but each has its own twist. The filling may be salmon or other fish (tuna or mackerel), ham, chicken, potato (Martha Stewart has a recipe for those online), and the binder may be mashed potatoes, thick brown of bechamel sauce, wheat flour or wheat bread. Croquettes may be small nuggets or as long as your finger.

Forget all that. Here’s what my mom taught me: never use any filling except crushed saltines. They bind better than anything else. Mom did shape them like tiny logs, which I have found difficult to work with—you have to brown three or four sides. I shape them into a pattie like a hamburger. Mom also not only used the saltines to bind the mixture, but she rolled the shaped croquettes in more saltine crumbs. I find that difficult too—crumbs fly off in every direction. And croquettes coated in crumbs tend to burn more quickly. So I leave out that step.

A side note: Honey Boy salmon (pink) from the grocery is fine, but I order salmon by the case from a cannery in Oregon. It is a family business; they fish, not with nets, so no dolphins get entangled. In fact, dolphins often swim alongside next to their boat. And they cook the salmon only once, after it is canned (most canned fish is twice cooked). The results if a product with wonderful flavor. (They also sell tuna, smoked tuna, and smoked salmon.) I’m sure there are several such small fishing vessel companies in the Northwest.

Here’s what I do:

7 oz. can salmon

1 egg, beaten

1 green onion, chopped fine

Salt and pepper to daste

A pinch of dry mustard

A dash of Worcestershire

Fine cracker crumbs, enough to enable you to shape the croquette (you don’t want too mushy, but if you get it too dry, it won’t hold together).

Mix together and sauté gently (I prefer butter) until browned on both sides. After all, the fish is already cooked, and you are only heating it and getting that good crust. (I am getting so hungry writing about this!)

Serve with lemon wedges. (I like lots of lemon on them.)

Leftovers (who has leftovers?) freeze well.

I have made croquettes with tuna, ham, and chicken, in addition to salmon, but I prefer the salmon. A neighbor tells me her kids consider tuna croquettes traditional on Ash Wednesday and beg for them. She adds a bit of chopped tomato and sometimes cilantro. And that’s another good thing about croquettes—you’re pretty much free to do whatever you want. The only way to ruin them is to miss the consistency.

Don’t laugh, but a favorite meal for me, all these years later, is a salmon croquette (or sometimes two), sauteed spinach, and a can of diced tomatoes (Mom canned her own, but I’m not that much of a purist) mixed with butter and crushed saltines (just not crushed as finely as for the croquettes).

Never tried making croquettes? You really should. Haven’t made them in years? It’s time to put them back on your rotating menu.