About the Recipe
A well-stocked pantry once meant there was always a can of salmon or tuna ready to help fill the family table. Blended with leftover cornbread and pantry staples, these golden croquettes turned yesterday's baking into today's hearty meal. Crisp on the outside and tender within, they were a comforting reminder that resourceful cooks could make something memorable from the simplest provisions. Every bite reflects a time when thrift, ingenuity, and homemade goodness went hand in hand.
Ingredients
FOR THE CROQUETTE MIXTURE
2 cups of Lizzy’s Cornbread Cake, crumbledÂ
3 cans of pink salmon drained and de-boned
10 oz. pkg. Great Value Frozen Seasoning Blend
(use only half of the seasoning blend and refreeze the remainder)
2 Tbsp. melted butter or olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp. thyme
3/4 tsp. crushed celery seed
2 large eggs, whisked
1 tsp. garlic salt
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Cooking oil, canola or peanut oil
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Salt & pepper to taste
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Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to the Warm setting. Drain and debone the fish into a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and set aside.
2. Add half of the seasoning blend to a small saucepan along with the melted butter or olive oil. Sauté until the moisture from the ice crystals has evaporated and the seasoning has softened. Add the garlic powder, thyme, and crushed celery seed, and continue to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
3. Add the sautéed seasoning blend, garlic salt, and whisked eggs to the fish and mix thoroughly. Add the crumbled cornbread and mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture into portions and shape into patties. Refrigerate the patties for 20 minutes to firm them up before frying.
4. Pour enough oil into a frying pan so it would reach halfway up the sides of the salmon patties. Heat the oil to 350°F and maintain this temperature while frying. Cook the salmon patties until golden brown on both sides. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain the patties on a paper towel-lined baking dish and keep warm in the oven.
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Note: If needed, you can finish heating the croquettes (salmon patties) in the microwave to reach an internal temperature of 165°F without overcooking them in the hot oil.
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RECIPE AUTHOR:Â Â Down Home Bakery, LLC.