Southern salmon croquettes — pan-fried patties of canned pink salmon, egg, and cornmeal. The Saturday morning protein that turned affordable canned fish into a crispy, savory comfort food and delivered omega-3s to families who couldn't afford fresh fish.
Saturday morning salmon croquettes in a Black household is one of the most specific intergenerational food memories — the smell of canned salmon and egg and hot oil in the kitchen before anyone else is awake. The grandmother making croquettes while the family sleeps. It is the most common Black American 'favorite food memory' food that isn't fried chicken.
Canned salmon with bones is among the most nutritionally complete affordable foods available — omega-3s at 1.5-2g per serving, Vitamin D at 570 IU per 100g (addressing Black American's epidemic-level deficiency), calcium from the soft canned bones (283mg/100g — more bioavailable per calorie than milk), and Vitamin B12 at 204% DV. The transformation into salmon croquettes makes this already-excellent food more palatable, more culturally contextual, and adds the egg's choline (critical for brain and liver health). At $1.50-2.00 per can, salmon croquettes are the most nutritional return on dollar of any protein in the Black American food tradition.
Open and drain canned salmon (pink is fine — the bone is the calcium). Mix with beaten egg, finely diced onion, seasoned flour or cornmeal, garlic powder, black pepper, and a splash of hot sauce. Form into patties. Pan-fry in small amount of oil over medium heat 3-4 min per side until golden and cooked through. Serve with scrambled eggs, grits, and toast.
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