Easy Salmon Cakes

This recipe, adapted from Eating Well Serves Two, by Jim Romanoff and the test kitchens of Eating Well (The Countryman Press, 2006), makes two servings. You can either cook them all at once or leave two to be cooked later in the week. They're not bad cold either. While the recipe calls for canned salmon, this is a good way to use up leftover salmon, too.

 Cakes

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

7 ounces canned salmon, drained (or 3/4 cup leftover cooked flaked salmon)

1 egg white (or 2 tablespoons egg substitute)

3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs*

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 lemon, cut in wedges

Creamy Dill Sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

1 thinly sliced scallion

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill (parsley may be substituted if you have no dill)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley and remove from heat.

Place salmon in a medium-size bowl. Flake with a fork, removing any bones and skin. Add egg white (or egg substitute), mustard and 1 teaspoon oil. Mix well. Add the scallion mixture, breadcrumbs and pepper, and mix well. Shape the mixture into four 2 1/2-inch patties.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the salmon cakes and cook until the undersides are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn them over onto the prepared baking sheet and place in oven.

Bake until firm and heated through, 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dill sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl.

When the cakes are done, serve with the dill sauce and lemon wedges.

*To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/3 cup crumbs.