Waste Not
Using the Whole Fish
Alaska summers are filled with fish. Both land and sea begin to vibrate each spring with life that carries the season into long sun-soaked days. On the coast, this seasonal eru...
Even the most expert fish fillet job leaves a bit of salmon meat behind on the spine and ribs. Salvaging this precious, bright red protein is easy, and will provide you with plenty of “ground” salmon to use later for your favorite salmon burger or meatball recipes. To scrape, simply take a metal spoon along with you to the fish cleaning station and run it along the salmon’s spine from tail to head. Store in a freezer bag for future use.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 8 Serving(s)
- 2 pounds Copper River salmon, scraped from the backbone and ribs
- 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
- 3 zucchinis, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 fresh cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Avocado oil
Preparation
Combine all ingredients except panko bread crumbs. Mix well by hand. If the mixture seems too loose, add more panko. Set aside a bowl of panko for later use. Refrigerate the fish mixture for 1 hour or longer. Chilling helps the mixture firm up and hold together.
After chilling, form the mixture into 2-inch to 3-inch patties and roll each one in reserved panko. Heat the avocado oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the patties 3–4 minutes per side, turning only once. Serve with a lime wedge, fresh cilantro garnish, and sweet chili sauce.
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