Lemongrass Salmon Cakes with Garlic-Basil Aioli

Salmon cakes are the perfect way to use up the very thin tail end pieces of wild salmon or any trim left over from cutting sides of salmon. The slightly spicy and fragrant salmon cakes are bursting with flavor thanks to ginger, Thai chiles, coriander, onion, and celery. Refrigerating the salmon cakes for at least an hour allows the flavors to meld together and for the panko to absorb enough liquid to make sure the cakes stay together. Crispy on the outside and moist yet flaky on the inside, these cakes disappeared quickly in the F&W test kitchen, especially thanks to the garlic aioli. 

Can you use canned salmon instead of fresh?

Yes, you can use drained canned salmon in place of the fresh wild salmon in this recipe. Be sure to drain as much as the liquid as possible to make sure the salmon cakes stay together while cooking. 

How do you prepare fresh lemongrass?

Lemongrass is an herb that’s characterized by its fibrous base stem and long, slender leaves with sharp edges on top. Fresh lemongrass has a lemony fragrance and is common in Southeast Asian cooking. To prepare fresh lemongrass, remove the tough outer leaves at the base, root end and chop the tender inner portion finely.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Make these into an appetizer by forming into 16 smaller, bite-size patties that are approximately 1 inch wide. These will only need to cook 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Suggested pairing

Try pairing these fragrant patties with a lightly herbal Italian white, such as Piero Mancini Vermentino di Gallura.

Make ahead

Uncooked salmon patties can be formed and refrigerated for up to one day. Refrigerate the aioli without the fresh basil for up to two days.