Well, I gotta eat and being the foodie that I am, I want good food. I am not one for believing that good food has to be expensive. I prefer not to think of it as cheap, just frugal. You make the best of what you have.
For my frugal dish, I went back to something my mother used to make, salmon cakes. This is one of the most inexpensive dishes you can make. You need a can of salmon, one egg, and some type of bread to bind it. Crackers and dry bread crumbs work well for this. Additional seasonings can be added, like onions, lemon zest, red pepper, and mustard. Mix it up to suit your tastes.
Recently, I read where a chef stated that canned salmon was like cat food. "Meow". Sorry chef, mom used canned salmon and that's what I use. Canned salmon is great. It is inexpensive, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and if you consume the bones, a good source of calcium. Here is my recipe for salmon cakes. Use the recipe as a guideline. If you want to add or remove something, please do so.
Salmon Cakes with Mustard Sauce
Serves 4.Ingredients:
1 can (14.5 ounce) salmon
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
⅓ cup chopped red onions
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 large egg
Vegetable oil, for frying
Mustard Sauce:
1 container (6 ounce) plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon coarse grain or Dijon mustard
Directions:
1. Drain salmon and mash with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Divide into fourths. Form into a ball and flatten to about ½ inch.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook salmon cakes, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir together yogurt and mustard. Serve with salmon cakes.
