Salmon Cook Book

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

Images from book.

From Salmon Cook Book: How to Eat Canned Salmon by the Panama Pacific International Exposition, 1915.

Note: “In all the recipes where a can of salmon is referred to the contents of a one pound can is understood.”

Recipes

Scrambled Eggs and Salmon

One can of Salmon flaked, six eggs, six tablespoonfuls milk, or cream, one -fourth teaspoonful of salt, Cayenne pepper to taste, one tablespoonful of butter and chopped parsley.

Break eggs into a bowl, beat slightly, add the milk, pepper and salt; put butter in saucepan and when hot add the eggs and other ingredients; when they begin to thicken add the Salmon. Before taking from the stove sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with toast points and serve hot.

Salmon Fish Balls

Two cupfuls of minced Salmon, one cupful of mashed potatoes, one-half cupful of drawn butter, pinch of pepper and one-fourth teaspoonful of salt.

Work in the potatoes with the Salmon, and moisten with the drawn butter until it is soft enough to mold and will keep its shape. Roll the balls in flour and fry quickly to a golden brown in lard or cooking oil. Take from fat as soon as they are done and lay in a sieve to drain. Serve on a hot platter. Use more seasoning if desired.

Creamed Salmon

Two level tablespoonfuls of butter, two level tablespoonfuls of flour, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, pinch of pepper, one cup of hot milk, one can of Salmon.

Mix butter in saucepan; when bubbling but not burning, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix until perfectly smooth; add very slowly the hot milk, beating each time. Cook until it thickens, adding more salt if necessary. Remove all bones and skin from the Salmon, and break into inch pieces; stir lightly into the sauce, and when thoroughly heated, serve.

Salmon Toast

To a cup of White Sauce (see Sauces) stir in a cupful of Salmon which has been picked up fine, and pour over rounds of crisp toast. This makes a delicious breakfast dish.

A Simple Breakfast Dish

Put a can of Salmon into a saucepan and cover with boiling water, cook ten minutes, remove Salmon from can and drain off liquor into a separate dish.

After separating the skin and bones from the Salmon, place in a hot dish and pour over and around the fish the following sauce: One cup of milk, two level tablespoonfuls of corn starch, the Salmon liquor, one level tablespoonful of butter, one egg well beaten, one-quarter teaspoonful of salt, pinch of pepper. Heat the milk to boiling, thicken with corn starch, add the butter, salt, pepper, Salmon liquor and egg. Serve at once.

Salmon Omelet

Three eggs, three level tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, three pinches of paprika, one-fourth scant teaspoonful of salt, three-fourths cup minced Salmon. Separate yolks from whites of eggs. Mix in ordinary sized bowl yolks of eggs, cream, salt, pepper and a half-cup of Salmon. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. Have a hot, clean omelet pan generously buttered, pour in the mixture. Spread it evenly over the top and allow it to cook; shake in the pan gently to prevent burning. When brown on the under side, place it in the oven a moment to dry on top. Remove, sprinkle over the top the remaining cup of Salmon, or more if desired, fold and turn out on hot platter. Garnish with lettuce. Serve immediately.

Pressed Salmon

Two eggs, two level tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one can of Salmon (put through a sieve), one-fourth level teaspoonful of salt, pinch of Cayenne pepper or two pinches of Paprika.

Mix all together, turn into a mold, cover and steam one hour. When cold, cut thin slices. Serve with or without Tartar Sauce (see Sauces). This is found excellent for sandwiches.

Casserole of Rice and Salmon

Line the bottom and sides of a mold with cold boiled rice one-half inch thick, fill the cavity with creamed Salmon and cover with the rice. Steam forty-five minutes, turn out on hot platter, pour either a White Sauce or a Tartar Sauce over and around it. Serve hot. If a mold is not used, it can be put into a bowl and brown paper tied over the top.

Salmon Cutlets

One can of Salmon, one cupful of thick White Sauce (see Sauces), one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one egg. Pick over the Salmon and remove skin, bones and oil; mix the Salmon and lemon juice, then stir in the thick White Sauce. Turn out on plate to cool, divide in twelve portions and shape like cutlets. Beat the eggs slightly, roll cutlets in it, then cover thoroughly with fine bread crumbs. Fry in deep fat until brown. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Cold Salmon

A can of Salmon is delicious when eaten cold, just as it is taken from the can. It may be served with either cold Bearnaise, Mayonnaise, Tartar Sauce, lemon juice or vinegar. Garnish with sliced hard boiled eggs and sprigs of parsley.

Salmon Loaves

Use one roll for each person; cut off the tops of the rolls, scoop out the crumbs, brush inside and outside with melted butter and put in a hot oven until they are a delicate brown. Make a creamed Salmon with chopped parsley and the whites of hard boiled eggs in it. Heat the cases, fill with the creamed Salmon, cover and serve.

Salmon Croquettes

One can of Salmon, one tablespoonful of melted butter, yolks of two hard boiled eggs, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one-half slice of stale bread (crumbed), one-half tablespoonful of Anchovy Sauce, pinch of pepper, one-quarter teaspoonful of salt, nutmeg to taste.

Mince the Salmon fine and powder the yolks of eggs; work them in together with lemon juice, bread crumbs, Anchovy Sauce, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Make into little rolls, dip in beaten egg, roll in fine bread crumbs or cracker dust, fry in hot drippings. Serve dry and hot and garnish with water cress.

Scalloped Salmon

One can of Salmon, one cup of White Sauce (see Sauces), five or six soda crackers.

Pick Salmon over, remove skin, bones and oil; flake fish with a fork. Take a medium sized agate dish, place in a layer of Salmon, a layer of White Sauce, a layer of rolled crackers, another layer of Salmon, and so on, continuing until the fish is all used. Reserve enough crackers for the top. Bake in hot oven until brown.

In preparing the White Sauce to be used in the above, follow the recipe exactly, with the exception of adding four tablespoonfuls of flour instead of two.

Scalloped Salmon with Green Peas

One can of Salmon picked over and broken into small pieces, one ith can of green peas, two cupfuls of thin White Sauce (see Sauces) and bread or cracker crumbs.

Butter a pudding dish, sprinkle with bread or cracker crumbs, put in a layer of Salmon and peas, cover with White Sauce; repeat until all is used. Cover well with buttered bread or cracker crumbs and bake in a hot oven until crumbs are brown. Serve hot.

Boiled Salmon

Place a can of Salmon in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook fifteen minutes. Take the fish from can, drain off oil and separate skin and bones. Serve hot with a Hollandaise Sauce (see Sauces).

Baked Salmon

For one can of Salmon stir one tablespoonful of flour, after moistening and working smooth, into a quart of boiling milk, add half a teacupful of butter, one teaspoonful of minced onion, a pinch of Cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.

Drain all the oil from the Salmon, pick out the skin and bones and flake fine. Then in a pudding dish place a layer of the fish, cover with as much or more grated bread crumbs and the dressing, then more fish, crumbs, etc., finishing with crumbs. Put dots of butter over the top, and bake to a delicate brown. To be eaten hot. Serve with bread and butter or lemon and crackers.

Salmon Fritters

One and one-third cupfuls pastry flour, two level teaspoonfuls baking powder, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, one egg, two-thirds of a cup of milk. Mix and sift dry ingredients, add milk gradually, then egg well beaten. Season three-fourths of a cup of minced Salmon with salt, Cayenne pepper and lemon juice if desired. Add to the batter and drop by spoonfuls into deep fat and brown. Drain on brown paper, and serve hot with Tartar Sauce. (See Sauces).

Salmon Pie

Line a pudding dish with hot, mashed potatoes about an inch to an inch and a half thick, then fill in the center with a creamed Salmon (seasoned with onion if desired), cover with the mashed potatoes and brush the top of the potatoes over with melted butter or milk, and bake in oven until a delicate brown, or beat the potatoes smooth and arrange in a circle on a hot dish and pour the fish in the center and serve at once.

Salmon with Macaroni

Pick one can of Salmon into small pieces, drain off the oil. Make a pint of White Sauce (see Sauces). Put a layer of boiled macaroni broken in inch lengths in the bottom of baking dish, next a layer of sauce, then a layer of Salmon, continuing until dish is filled. Sauce should come last and be sprinkled with buttered crumbs. Bake until brown.

Camp Mess Salmon Bake

One can of Salmon, one-pound can of tomatoes; arrange in alternate layers, season with salt, pepper and two ounces of salt pork cut into dice, add the liquid from both cans and cover the top with powdered hard bread, put a little dripping on top and bake a light brown.

Army and Navy Salmon

One can of Salmon, one-half can of tomatoes, three hard tack (soaked), one-fourth pound fried salt pork, one Scouse onion sliced, one pound potatoes cut into quarters; season to taste.

Stew, adding a little water if necessary. When done it may be placed in oven to brown.

Salmon Curry

One-half onion the size of an egg, two level tablespoonfuls of butter, liquor from one can of Salmon, three-fourths cup of stock, one level tablespoonful of flour, two level teaspoonfuls of curry powder, one level teaspoonful of lemon juice, one-fourth tea- spoonful of salt, pinch of pepper, one-half can of Salmon.

Fry finely chopped onion and butter until brown, add to it Salmon liquor and stock, simmer five minutes and strain. Mix flour, curry powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice with enough cold water to form a thin paste. Stir into other mixture and when boiling add the Salmon, which has been picked over and broken into inch pieces, and serve when very hot.

Salmon Loaf

One can of Salmon; remove the oil and pick up fine; one-half cup of fine bread crumbs, yolks of four eggs well beaten, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one-fourth level teaspoonful of salt, one level teaspoonful poultry dressing, one level teaspoonful finely chopped parsley, whites of four eggs well whipped.

Mix in the order given, and steam in a mold one hour. Serve hot or cold. If eaten hot, serve with Fish Sauce (see Sauces).

Salmon a la Bouillabaisse

One can of Salmon, one pound boiled halibut, one pound salt codfish (freshened), four to eight shrimps, one medium sized onion, one carrot, two tomatoes, four cloves, five small red peppers, one clove of garlic, pinch of saffron, one bay leaf, three sprays of parsley, one-half pint of olive oil, one-half cup of cider, one-half pint of stock; season with salt, pepper and orange peel if desired.

Remove skin and bones from fish, break in large pieces, slice onion, carrot and tomatoes (canned tomatoes may be used), macerate the garlic and break up bay leaf. Heat oil in large skillet, add the fish and vegetables (except parsley which should be added just before taking from stove). Cook for about twelve minutes, tossing often, then add the cloves, bay leaf, saffron, peppers, cider and stock. Cook from fifteen to twenty minutes more. Line dish with crisp pieces of toast, cover with the mixture just prepared and serve immediately.

Spiced or Pickled Salmon

Place a can of Salmon in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook one-quarter of an hour; then open can, remove fish and drain off oil. Take one pint of cider vinegar, one-half teaspoonful of celery seed, two bay leaves, one-half teaspoonful whole cloves, one teaspoonful mixed spices, one-half clove garlic, one-half of medium-sized onion sliced, and a quarter of a teaspoonful salt; put into a saucepan and bring to a boiling 'point; then pour this mixture over the Salmon, and allow it to stand twenty-four hours. If the vinegar is very strong, reduce with water.

Salmon Salad

One can of Salmon, one-half pint of celery and one-half pint of Mayonnaise dressing.

Free the Salmon from skin, bones and oil; pick the fish apart and add the celery (which has been cut fine) and Mayonnaise dressing, tossing lightly. Season to taste. Save a little Mayonnaise to pour over the top. Arrange in salad dish and garnish with curled lettuce and drops of red jelly, or serve on fresh, crisp lettuce leaves.

Stuffed Eggs with Salmon Filling

Make a regular Salmon Salad with the chopped celery, yolks of eggs and Mayonnaise. Take as many eggs as desired, put them into a bath of boiling water and let them stand thirty-five minutes. Remove the shells, cut a slice off the top and bottom (the latter to make it stand), then take out the yolks and fill the whites with the salad. Serve in lettuce leaves, and over all pour Mayonnaise dressing.

Green Peppers with Salmon Filling

One can of Salmon flaked, one-quarter teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of chopped gherkins, two tablespoonfuls of chopped olives, two tablespoonfuls of chopped capers, Mayonnaise dressing and green peppers.

Remove seeds, membrane and stem end from peppers and soak in salt water. Mix gherkins, olives, and salt with Salmon; add enough Mayonnaise to hold it together; fill green peppers, garnish and serve. If the fresh green peppers are not in season the canned ones may be used.

Salmon Sandwiches

One cup of Boiled Salad Dressing (See Sauces), 1 ½ cups of Minced Salmon, season to taste. Mix dressing and Salmon to a paste; slice bread very thin and spread with the Salmon paste, cut into fancy shapes and garnish with water cress or parsley. These can be made two or three hours before serving by placing closely together and covering with a damp napkin. The Salmon Paste will keep indefinitely.

Deviled Salmon

Heat one pint of milk to boiling; stir in teaspoonful of butter and one-half tablespoonful flour dissolved in a little cold milk. When thick take from the fire, add small half cup of Worcestershire Sauce, juice of one lemon, pepper, salt and one can of Salmon picked fine. Fill individual dishes or large baking dish; spread bread crumbs on top and add a little cream, which helps it to brown. Bake quickly and serve hot.

Salmon Chowder

One can of Salmon, one large potato, one small onion, one-quarter pound salt pork, one-half pint milk or cream, one ship cracker, salt and pepper to taste.

Remove Salmon from can and drain off the liquid and break fish into small pieces. Slice the potato and onion and cut the pork into half-inch dice. Put the pork and the onion into a pan and fry them quickly with a little butter until they are a light brown. Place alternate layers of potato, fish, pork and onion in a large saucepan; dust with salt and pepper.

Continue the layers in this order until all the ingredients are used. Cover the whole with boiling water and let the mixture simmer for twenty minutes. Scald a half-pint of milk or cream, take it off the fire and add one-half tablespoonful of butter and one broken ship cracker, or the same quantity of water biscuits. Arrange the fish mixture in a mound on a dish, cover it with the softened cracker, and pour over the whole the scalded milk or cream. Serve very hot.

Canned Salmon a la Newburg

Place two cans of Salmon into a saucepan and cover with boiling water, cook ten minutes, and then remove fish from cans and drain off liquor. Heat one gill of cream in a double boiler. Rub one large tablespoonful flour into two tablespoonfuls of butter. Rub the yolks of three hard boiled eggs smooth with a little cream or milk, add to hot cream with flour mixture. Stir until smooth.

Add a shake of red pepper and a little salt. Add the Salmon and cook a few minutes longer. Add two tablespoonfuls Sherry or Madeira wine and serve at once.

Salmon Patties

Cut one can of Salmon into dice, heat one pint of the dice in half a pint of cream, season to taste with Cayenne pepper and salt. Fill warm patty shells with the Salmon and serve while hot with a Fish or Hollandaise Sauce.

Sauces

Mayonnaise Dressing

Yolks of two raw eggs, one level teaspoonful of salt, one level teaspoonful mustard, one teaspoonful of vinegar or lemon juice, juice of one lemon, pint to a pint and a half of salad oil, according to the quantity of dressing desired.

Put the yolks of the eggs into a bowl, stir enough to break them, then add the salt, mustard, teaspoonful of vinegar or lemon juice and teaspoonful of salad oil; mix with an egg beater until smooth; beat in gradually about half a teaspoonful (not more) at a time of salad oil until half a pint has been used; add occasionally a teaspoonful or more of lemon juice as the rest of the oil is beaten in.

If by chance too much oil should be added, do not attempt to stir it all in at once, but take it up gradually. Sometimes when the dressing curdles a little vinegar being added will bring it back. If this fails, take the yolk of a fresh egg and put it in another dish; beat it slightly, and add the curdled dressing, just as you would add oil (slowly). This is sure to meet with success if egg is fresh.

White Sauce

Two level tablespoonfuls of flour, two level tablespoonfuls of butter, one cup of hot milk, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, pinch of pepper.

Melt butter in saucepan until it bubbles; add the flour, salt and pepper; mix until smooth; then pour the hot milk in gradually, stirring and beating each time. Cook until it thickens.

Fish Sauce

One cup of milk, one egg, one level tablespoonful of corn starch, two level tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of catsup, pinch of Cayenne pepper. Cook over hot water until it thickens, stirring constantly.

Thick White Sauce For Cutlets or Croquettes

Four level tablespoonfuls of flour, two level tablespoonfuls of butter, one cup hot milk, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, pinch of pepper. Melt butter in saucepan until it bubbles; add the flour, salt and pepper; mix until smooth; then pour the hot milk in gradually, stirring and beating each time.

Cook until it thickens.

Drawn Butter Sauce

One-half cup of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour, sprig of parsley. Melt butter in stew pan, add flour and mix until smooth, then add gradually a pint of boiling water, beating each time.

Tartar Sauce

Yolks of two eggs, one-quarter teaspoonful salt, pinch of pepper, one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, one level teaspoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one tablespoonful of chopped gherkins or capers. Mix yolks of eggs, salt, pepper, tarragon vinegar and mustard; stir until smooth and then add a gill of salad oil drop by drop. Stir in the chopped parsley, gherkins or capers with a fork. If the sauce is not sharp enough to taste, add more vinegar or lemon juice.

Boiled Salad Dressing

Three eggs well beaten, one tablespoonful of butter, two level teaspoonfuls of mustard, one level teaspoonful of salt, one-half cup of vinegar, one-fourth teaspoonful of white pepper.

Mix the ingredients well in a bowl, set bowl in hot water and stir the mixture until it thickens. Cool. If desired add more mustard.

Hollandaise Sauce

Half a teacupful of butter, the juice of one-half a lemon, the yolks of two eggs, a dash of Cayenne, one-half a cupful of boiling water, one-half a teaspoonful of salt.

Beat the butter to a cream, add the yolks one by one, then the lemon juice, pepper and salt. Place the bowl in which these are mixed in a saucepan of boiling water. Beat with an egg-beater until the sauce begins to thicken (about a minute) and add the boiling water, beating all the time. When like a soft custard, it is done.

Salmon Cook Book: How to Eat Canned Salmon. Panama Pacific International Exposition. 1915.

Panama Pacific International Expo.

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