Dukka-Spiced Salmon Patties. PHOTO BY JOHN LEE
A quick Middle-Eastern spice mixture gives these salmon patties tons of flavor without salt.
I love me some salmon patties! Probably because my mom made something with canned fish called fritters (usually with tuna, but sometimes with salmon). So I picked this recipe to feature from Sodium Girl‘s new book Low-So Good: A Guide to Real Food, Big Flavor, and Less Sodium with 70 Amazing Recipes
I haven’t met the author in real life yet, but she was the first person I turned to two years ago when I got my diagnosis and was told to go on a low-sodium diet. When I asked friends who could help me, everyone sent me to Jessica Goldman Foung. She was warm, lovely, and so incredibly helpful. Her first book was a godsend for me and I have appreciated our little email chats since then. Jessica asked me to contribute a sidebar to this book, which I was honored to do. I’ll have a full review and the giveaway in June.
Now on to the recipe. Jessica writes:
Recipes that involve bread crumbs—from meatballs to casseroles—always pose a sodium challenge because they contain bread—one of the top sodium culprits on the CDC’s list—and salty seasonings. Some products can equal more than 1,600 mg of sodium per 1 cup [110 g].
By using a nut-based replacement, you can make a low-sodium substitution while enhancing the color and texture of the dish. Enter dukka spice, a blend of toasted nuts, seeds, and spices that can be mixed into yogurt or olive oil as a spread, sprinkled on salads and soups, or folded into your burgers and meatballs in place of seasoned bread crumbs. The chickpea flour in the recipe binds the patties together, while the dukka spice provides the bulk and flavor. Since you can use any salt-free nuts or spices to make dukka, experiment with your own blends for different levels of warmth, nuttiness, and heat.
Suitable for:
low-sodium, migraine, pescatarian, gluten-free, celiac diets (see recipe notes for migraine diet)
Not recommended for:
paleo, vegan, vegetarian diets
You might also like:
Salmon-potato cakes
Salmon sliders with homemade sriracha dipping sauce
Cajun salmon cakes with lemon-garlic aioli from Cooking Light
Check out her beautiful book below, with tons of tips on living healthfully without added salt.
Dukka-spiced salmon patties
Ingredients
Salmon patties
- 1.5 pounds salmon fillets, skin-on, deboned
- 1 recipe dukka spice mix see below
- 2 onions (green) scallions, spring onions, thinly sliced (add 2 more of these for migraine diet)
- 1/4 onions white, finely diced (omit for migraine diet)
- 0.25 ounces cilantro chopped or fresh basil leaves (1/4 cup)
- 1 lemons zested, then use 1/2 lemon for squeezing (omit for migraine diet)
- 1 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 tbsp garbanzo bean flour chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or light olive oil, for frying
Dukka spice mix
- 3.15 ounces pumpkin seeds (3/4 cup) pepitas, raw, or pine nuts, pistachios, almonds (use pumpkin seeds only for migraine diet)
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds white
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder salt-free
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Salmon patties
- Preheat the oven to 375°F [190°C]. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the prepared baking pan. Bake until the fish turns light pink, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the salmon skin.
- Put a fresh piece of parchment in the baking sheet.
- Using two forks, flake the cooked salmon into small pieces and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the dukka, green onions, white onion, cilantro, lemon zest, egg, and garbanzo bean flour. Stir to combine.
- Make small salmon patties, 2-1/ 2 in [6 cm] wide, using about 1/ 2 cup [90 g] of the mixture per patty.
- Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or overnight, to help the patties firm up for successful frying.
- When ready to cook, line a large plate with paper towels. In a large skillet, heat 2 to 3 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat until the oil begins to ripple.
- Carefully put two patties into the skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flip the patties and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the patties to the prepared plate.
- Discard any browned bits from the skillet and repeat with the remaining patties, adding more oil and adjusting the heat as needed.
- Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice (omit for migraine diet).
Dukka spice
- Heat a medium skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the pepitas and toast, stirring frequently, until they turn golden and begin to pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the pepitas to a small mixing bowl.
- Add the sesame seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds to the skillet and toast until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the toasted seeds to a food processor (or spice grinder). Add the garlic powder and pepper and pulse until the mixture forms a crumbly powder.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month if not using for this recipe.
This sounds so wonderful. My brother in law (who is developmentally disabled) loves salmon. My mother in law has to have a low sodium diet. It sounds delicious. Pinned and tweeted.