Crisp golden cakes made from canned salmon, a pantry dinner that tastes bright and fresh on the table in twenty minutes. The shelf holds everything you need; flake the salmon and bind it with an egg, then pan-fry until the edges catch.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 390 calories a serving, 20 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 27 g fat. From USDA figures for 89% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Drain the canned salmon, flake it with a fork into a bowl, and remove any skin and bones if you prefer, though they are edible. Mince 2 tablespoons onion and 1 clove garlic very fine, then add them to the salmon with 1 beaten egg, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
2. Set a skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, and wait until it shimmers. Form the salmon mixture into two thick patties, place them in the pan, and do not move them. They are ready to turn when the bottoms are golden and crisp, about 4 minutes.4 min
3. Flip the cakes carefully and cook the other side until golden, about 3 more minutes, then slide onto a plate. Halve the lemon and squeeze it over the warm cakes just before serving.3 min

Note Swap fresh dill or parsley from the market for the garlic and onion if you have them. Leftovers keep refrigerated for two days and are good cold or reheated gently in a skillet. Serve with a green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette, or with toast to stretch the meal.