Baked Salmon Cakes with Flax and Fresh Herbs

If you haven't yet noticed I LOVE to use flax seeds in my recipes. Golden flax, brown flax, whole flax, ground flax—I always have a couple of pounds in my freezer because I have found it is such a versatile ingredient, not to mention that it is considered one of the world's great superfoods. Like salmon, It is extremely high in Omega-3s, a fatty acid that we don't get enough of in our diet. It is also a great source of fiber and adds a warm earthy and subtle nutty flavor to many dishes. In this recipe ground flax seeds are used instead of breadcrumbs as a filler. The mucilagenous property of these seeds also helps the cakes stick together. These delicious baked salmon cakes can be enjoyed as a main course with vegetables or a salad, or as small bite sized appetizers (as seen in the picture above) and served with Yogurt Dill Dip (recipe below).

From the Kitchen: Medium sized bowl, non-stick cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Ingredients
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 Tbs fresh dill, chopped fine
1 Tbs green onion, chopped
1 lb salmon, cooked and chilled, broken into pieces
1/4 cup ground flax seeds plus an extra 3 Tbs reserved
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350º. In a medium sized bowl combine lemon juice, dijon mustard, beaten egg, parsley, dill, and green onion and mix well. Add the salmon and 1/4 cup ground flax seeds and carefully toss the mixture until well combined, leaving some chunks of salmon for added texture. The mixture should resemble tuna salad. If it is too moist gradually add flax 1 teaspoon at a time until you have reached the desired consistency, if it is too dry add a bit of lemon juice or water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mixture can be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator.

Using the mixture, form 6 two inch cakes or small bite-sized cakes, coating each side with the reserved ground flax seed. Place the coated salmon cakes on a non-stick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350º for approximately 20 minutes, flipping the cakes after approximately 10 minutes. The salmon cakes are ready when they are firm and browned. Keep in mind that baking time will vary depending on the size of the patties.

Serve the salmon cakes with your favorite salad greens, cucumbers, and Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe below) or as an appetizer with Yogurt Dill Dip (recipe below).

Makes 6 two inch cakes or approximately 20 small bite-sized salmon cakes.