31-05-2025
Old-school comfort with a modern twist: Salmon croquettes make a savory comeback
The other day, I decided to revert to a childhood favorite for dinner. Salmon croquettes were a monthly staple that is so old school it's hip again. My Grandmother made them regularly for our evening meal and if we were lucky, there was a leftover or two for lunch the following day.
Traditionally, croquettes were much fancier than we used to enjoy. By the simplest definition, it is a savory mixture of finely minced meat and some vegetables shaped into balls or cylinders and fried. That part is identical to ours except for the shape.
However, the binder that held that mixture together was most often a thick version of bechamel sauce. That's where my Southern road forks, because we used either dry breadcrumbs or crushed saltine crackers and an egg.
Of course, it was fried in bacon fat back in the day, but these days, I'm most likely to use the air fryer or skillet, with just a light coating of canola oil. It's enough to make the biggest skeptic salivate.
Although we called them croquettes, ours were patties because they were flattened like burgers. I still do it that way and occasionally make them as burger substitutes served on small Hawaiian buns.
Salmon has come a long way from the large red cans that used to contain bits and pieces of skin and bones. Those large cans have given way to smaller 5-ounce cans. Although it may still occasionally contain a small pin bone, the high temperature of the canning process makes it soft and edible.
Just like tuna, canned salmon is fully cooked, but that doesn't mean it can't be fancied up by mixing and making it into a patty. I like serving it with some fresh dill and black pepper-enhanced Greek yogurt.
Kiki asks, 'For some reason, I routinely end up with too much fat in my gravy. Is there any easy way to remove some before I serve it?'
Kiki,
If you have time, allow the gravy to cool and skim off the fat that forms on the top. Then reheat. If you don't have time, pour it through a sieve that contains ice cubes. The fat will cling to the ice cubes and solidify, making it easy to remove.
Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on 'Volunteer Gardener' on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at
This article originally appeared on Southern Kitchen: Salmon croquettes make a comeback with a modern southern twist
