Salmon cakes with a Roasted Yellow Pepper Aioli

I found this recipe about 5 years ago and it has been my go-to recipe for entertaining ever since.  Pair with our 2009 Pinot Gris.

For Salmon Cakes

1 lb. salmon fillet (pin bones removed)
Salt & Pepper
1 Tbls. oil (canola or olive)
½ small red onion, diced fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, diced fine
1 Bunch fresh dill, chopped fine
3 Tbls. whole grain mustard
1/3 cup sour cream
½  cup mayonnaise (see recipe below)
2 whole eggs
3 cups Panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake salmon, seasoned and wrapped in foil until done though and falls apart easily (approx 160 degrees). Cool. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in oil until translucent. Cool. Combine green onion, dill, mustard, sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Flake salmon and mix with mayo mustard mixture and cooled onions and garlic. Add eggs and combine well. Add 11/2 cups Panko and mix well. Add in more and more of the Panko until thick and moldable. Allow to set for at least an hour before proceeding. Portion into 16 balls 4 oz. each and form into patties. Place on a skillet over medium heat cook until golden on both sides and warm throughout. Top with Aioli.


Roasted Yellow Pepper Aioli

2 yellow peppers
Canola or Olive oil
Lemon
Salt & Pepper

Mayo:
2 egg yolks
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp powdered mustard
Lemon juice to taste
1 ½ cups canola oil
1 Tbls hot water


Beat yolks, salt, mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a small bowl until very thick.  Add about 1/4 cup  of  oil, drop by drop, beating vigorously all the while. Beat in  1 Tbls hot water. Add rest of the oil a few drops at a time till well incorporated then in a small smooth stream, beating vigorously all the while. Adjust taste and consistency with water and/or lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Set oven to broil. Half the yellow peppers, take out seeds and stem. Rub oil on skins of peppers and place on a cookie sheet and put in the oven. Cook the peppers until most of the skin has been burnt.  Have four pieces of plastic wrap ready and place  1 piece of pepper per piece of wrap . Wrap up the peppers and allow them to sweat until the peppers are lukewarm to the touch.  While in the wrap, roll the pepper around in your hands to loosen the skin.  Unwrap each pepper and remove all of the skin, place in a food processor, add one cup of the mayo (setting aside the other half cup for the salmon cakes).  Blend until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Return sauce to refrigerator.

Adapted from New Season’s Recipe