SALMON PATTIES
4 Tbsp. butter
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
2 14.75-oz. can salmon (about 3-1/2 c. cooked salmon, if you're using fresh/frozen)
2/3 c. (or 2 slices) fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 c. shredded mozarella
2 Tbsp. parsley*
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 c. crushed saltine crackers
*parsley is optional. Sometimes I use it and sometimes I don't. To me, dried parsley doesn't add to the taste and often detracts with its texture. Fresh parsley works better, but you need to chop it up super fine.
CREAMED PEAS
3 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
pepper, to taste
2 c. milk (or half-and-half)
Cook onion and celery in butter until tender but not brown. Remove from heat.
Drain salmon, reserving liquid. REPEAT . . . DO NOT THROW AWAY THE LIQUID! Discard bones and skin from salmon; flake meat into a large bowl.
Add celery/onion mixture, bread crumbs, mozarella, parsley, lemon juice, salt, mustard, and eggs. Mix together well.
Add reserved liquid as necessary to moisten mixture (you want it to stick together and form a patty, but not be too mushy). This is a very non-scientific process and will vary each time; you decide by feel when you've got the texture that you want.
I prepare my cracker crumbs by sticking them in a baggie and running a rolling pin over them to crush them. Then I pour the crumbs into a pie plate.
Shape salmon mixture into about 12 patties and coat with cracker crumbs. Because my hands are a mess during this step, I find it's easiest to coat all the patties and place them onto waxed paper—I don't worry about cooking them until I've got them all formed and ready to go.
Many recipes call for frying patties in oil, which is a disaster—they'll just fall apart. A nonstick fry pan or griddle without any oil works best. Cook the patties over medium heat (about 5 minutes per side or until they look nice and golden brown). While the patties are cooking, make the creamed peas.
In a medium saucepan cook onion in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Whisk in milk, one cup at a time. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Stir in peas; heat through. Season to taste.
Spoon creamed peas over patties and serve.
