SALMON PATTIES

WHEN I DIDN'T SPY MY $.39 CAN OF TUNA IN WATER ON A RECENT SHOPPING TRIP, I OPTED FOR THE $.99 CAN OF SALMON ADJACENT TO THE MISSING ITEM. "I COULD MAKE PATTIES," WAS MY CONSOLING AND ALTERNATIVE THOUGHT. HOW MANY SERVINGS WOULD A DOLLAR OF FISH PROVIDE? ACTUALLY 6. DISREGARDING THE SALMON SALAD I CREATED TO ADORN TOAST FOR A LIGHT LUNCH ( TO BE ADDRESSED IN TOMORROW'S BLOG), I WILL DESCRIBE PROCESS TO PRODUCE A YUMMY PATTY.

MY 1ST RULE FOR FISH IS TO RID MYSELF ANY EVIDENCE OF A FISH OIL TASTE. YUCK! SO AFTER DRAINING THE JUICE FROM THE CAN, I DUMP THE SALMON FROM THE CAN ONTO A PLATE (WHICH IMMEDIATELY CALLS 2 CATS AND 1 DOG TO ATTENTION, EYES UP, ANTICIPATING A 'MANDATORY' TREAT), I SCRAPE AWAY THE SKIN AND SLIME FROM THE FILLETS AND PULL THE TINY BONES OUT. GUESS WHO GETS THE REJECTS? THEN I SORT OUT 1/3 OF THE FISH FOR A SALAD. WITH THE REMAINING 2/3, I LET MY CREATIVE CULINARY MIND RUN WILD. FIRST I PITCH IN A BIT OF CORN FLAKES CRUMBS. THEN A BIT OF BREAD CRUMBS. I NEVER USE AN EGG BECAUSE IT JUST ADDS FAT AND IS UNNECESSARY. FLAVORING IS NEXT. WHAT IS IN THE LARDER WILL DO. I ADD A BIT OF TACO SAUCE, KETCHUP AND CHOPPED ONION. THIS BATCH I KEEP SIMPLE, BUT I MIGHT OPT FOR INGREDIENTS RANGING FROM POUPON MUSTARD, PLAIN YOGURT, SOY SAUCE, STEAK SAUCE, PICKLE JUICE AND CHOPPED GREEN PEPPERS, CARROTS, MUSHROOM OR CELERY TO SPICES SUCH AS GARLIC, DILL, BASIL , SAGE, OREGANO, CUMIN OR CRUSHED RED PEPPERS. A COOK'S JOB IS TO CUSTOMIZE TO HIS OR HER TASTE. MIXING MY SALMON CONCOCTION MIGHT REQUIRE A BIT OF WATER TO FORM PATTIES. AFTER 'GREASING" THE PAN WITH NON-STICK SPRAY, I FORM AND SLOW COOK 4 PATTIES - 2 FOR NOW, 2 TO FREEZE FOR A LATER MEAL. A PATTY ON A BUN IS A LUNCH TO ANTICIPATE