When mistakes work--Salmon Hash with Horseradish Sauce

I can’t tell you why I bought that first can of Alaskan salmon. Probably some vague feeling that I ought to be getting more fish in my diet. But once I had it, I pulled out my Joy of Cooking and found a recipe for “Sunday Fish Cakes with Horseradish Cream” that looked promising. Maybe if I’d actually, like, measured, the recipe would have worked out fine. But it was a royal mess. A soggy sloppy royal mess. I was supposed to have “cakes” that I rolled in breadcrumbs and then fried but I ended up with a tray full of bread crumbs and sloppy salmon glop. I cooked it anyway. It was terrific. So without further ado, I present

Ann’s Salmon Hash

First make a horseradish sauce.


I used sour cream (fat free, so sue me, but it’s what I had and it worked fine), dried dill (recipe called for fresh IIRC), hot sauce, horseradish, lemon juice (maybe I had a lemon somewhere in the crisper but if I did I wanted to save it for an upcoming batch of black and white cookies) and salt. You can figure our your own proportions. Refrigerate.

Then make yourself four cups of fresh bread crumbs. Two Turano French rolls will work just fine if that’s what you happen to have around.
I used my food processor but I’m sure it’s not necessary. Set aside.

Combine

One can Alaska salmon (my first batch was made with the can on the left, on sale at Ultra Foods at 2 for $7; the batch illustrated was made with the can on the left, also on sale at Ultra Foods at 3 for $4; the first was better but the second was still very good).

One egg

1/4 cup chopped onion (though I was delighted to use a leek I already had around for another recipe)

2 stalks celery, diced

3 big globs of mayonnaise (okay, probably about 3/4 cup—see what I mean about measuring?)


Fresh ground pepper

Mix well, then gently fold in the breadcrumbs

Heat 2 T oil with 2 T butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
When hot, pour in the salmon mixture and pat to spread out evenly over the whole bottom of the pan. Then drag a spoon sideways through to quarter it and separate the sections slightly so steam can escape. Cook without stirring over medium low to medium heat until you smell lots of toasty buttered bread and a peak underneath shows that the hash is nicely browned. This may take 10 minutes or longer. Flip it over once in whatever sized large pieces you can manage with your spatula. Pat down again and leave it alone. After another four or five minutes check again. It’s done when it’s no longer wet and the bread is toasted and crunchy.

Serve with the horseradish cream. Enjoy.

Though less mistake than random occurrence......

Had a peanut butter <-> chocolate moment at work this morning. Rough chopping apples to smoke for bread pudding and a piece flew into the salt rub I just made for porchetta. Of course I ate it, crazy delicious! reminded me of Thai style fruit dip

(Salt rub was not on the cutting board, I moved it close for the picture. )

Gary,

Thank you for your post and especially great to pop up a thread lost in time. I may give both a shot sometime soon.

Thanks!

Regards,