Smoked Salmon Cakes on a Bed of Grilled Vegetables
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2000
For grilled vegetables:
4 long green onions
2 Roma tomatoes, cut in half
4 slices of red onions, 1" thick
4 slices of eggplant, 1" thick
4 slices of zucchini, 1" thick
4 slices of yellow squash, 1" thick
1 red pepper cut into fourths
1 yellow pepper cut into fourths
1/4 cup olive oil
Essence

For salmon cakes:
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 cups flaked smoked salmon, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 teaspoons capers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
4 teaspoons Essence
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten, plus 2 tablespoons milk
Olive oil for frying
1/2 cup sizzled leeks
Essence

Preheat the gill. Season the vegetables with the olive oil and Essence. Place on the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill. Julienne the eggplant, zucchini, squash and peppers. Separate the onions into rings. Leave the green onions and tomatoes whole. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the smoked salmon cakes: In a food processor, combine the potatoes, salmon, shallots, garlic, capers, Dijon, parsley, 1 to 2 teaspoons of Essence, lemon juice, salt and pepper, egg, cream, and 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Process for 20 seconds. Shape the mixture into 8 (1/4 cup per cake) cakes. Season the flour with 1 teaspoon of Essence and the bread crumbs with the remaining Essence. Dredge the cakes in the flour. Dip into the egg wash, removing any excess liquid. Dredge each cake in the seasoned breadcrumbs. In a large pan, heat the oil. When the oil is smoking hot, fry each cake on each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden, remove from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Transfer to a serving plate and top with lemon dill sauce.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
User Rating:4 Stars

Episode#: EE2320
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