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Sheet-Pan Herbed Salmon Cakes with Asparagus and Lemon-Herb Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on September 10, 2020

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Sheet-Pan Herbed Salmon Cakes with Asparagus and Lemon-Herb Sauce

Ingredients

Lemon-Herb Sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 scallion, minced2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley Salt and pepper

Salmon Cakes and Asparagus

1 slice hearty white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces1 pound skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces1 shallot, minced2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and mincedSalt and pepper 1 pound asparagus, trimmed1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Before You Begin

Be sure to use raw salmon here; do not substitute cooked or canned salmon. Don't overprocess the salmon in step 2, or the cakes will have a pasty texture. Lay the salmon cakes close together on the baking sheet so that the asparagus has a little extra space for browning.

Instructions

    for the lemon-herb sauce

  1. Combine all ingredients in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
  2. for the salmon cakes and asparagus

  3. Adjust oven rack 3 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 4 pulses, then transfer to large bowl; you should have about ¾ cup crumbs. Working in 2 batches, pulse salmon in food processor until coarsely ground, about 4 pulses; transfer to bowl with bread crumbs and toss to combine.
  4. Whisk shallot, mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, capers, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in small bowl, then gently fold into salmon mixture until well combined. Divide salmon mixture into 4 equal portions and gently pack into 1-inch-thick patties.
  5. Place salmon cakes on 1 side of rimmed baking sheet. Toss asparagus with oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and spread in single layer on empty side of sheet. Broil until cakes are lightly browned on both sides, barely translucent at center, and register 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), and asparagus is lightly browned and tender, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping cakes and turning asparagus halfway through broiling.
  6. Remove sheet from oven, transfer salmon and asparagus to platter, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon-herb sauce.
Sheet-Pan Herbed Salmon Cakes with Asparagus and Lemon-Herb Sauce
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Marie Piraino.

Sheet-Pan Herbed Salmon Cakes with Asparagus and Lemon-Herb Sauce

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

Lemon-Herb Sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 scallion, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

Salmon Cakes and Asparagus

1 slice hearty white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 pound skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and minced
Salt and pepper
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients

Lemon-Herb Sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 scallion, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

Salmon Cakes and Asparagus

1 slice hearty white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 pound skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and minced
Salt and pepper
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients

Lemon-Herb Sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 scallion, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

Salmon Cakes and Asparagus

1 slice hearty white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 pound skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and minced
Salt and pepper
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Why This Recipe Works

We used a food processor to chop salmon into a mix of both fine and larger pieces for a varied and not overly dense texture. A single slice of bread provided just enough binding, and a combination of shallot, parsley, mustard, and capers complemented the salmon; a bit of mayonnaise ensured our patties would stay moist. Broiling the patties made them easy to flip and kept them from overcooking. We arranged them on one end of a baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for a broiler-friendly vegetable—asparagus—to cook simultaneously. A quick lemon and parsley sauce added a touch of class.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use raw salmon here; do not substitute cooked or canned salmon. Don't overprocess the salmon in step 2, or the cakes will have a pasty texture. Lay the salmon cakes close together on the baking sheet so that the asparagus has a little extra space for browning.

Instructions

    for the lemon-herb sauce

  1. Combine all ingredients in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
  2. for the salmon cakes and asparagus

  3. Adjust oven rack 3 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 4 pulses, then transfer to large bowl; you should have about ¾ cup crumbs. Working in 2 batches, pulse salmon in food processor until coarsely ground, about 4 pulses; transfer to bowl with bread crumbs and toss to combine.
  4. Whisk shallot, mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, capers, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in small bowl, then gently fold into salmon mixture until well combined. Divide salmon mixture into 4 equal portions and gently pack into 1-inch-thick patties.
  5. Place salmon cakes on 1 side of rimmed baking sheet. Toss asparagus with oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and spread in single layer on empty side of sheet. Broil until cakes are lightly browned on both sides, barely translucent at center, and register 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), and asparagus is lightly browned and tender, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping cakes and turning asparagus halfway through broiling.
  6. Remove sheet from oven, transfer salmon and asparagus to platter, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon-herb sauce.

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