Salmon Cakes with Horseradish Thyme Mayonnaise

There is nothing like cooking with fresh herbs for the absolute maximum in taste. For those of you who grow herbs in your backyard or container garden, you already know what great flavor enhancers these are.  If you're considering growing them (something I strongly encourage), but are not quite sure where to start or which ones to plant, I recommend these six in my personal order of use/importance: chives, thyme, parsley, tarragon, dill, rosemary (alternately I'd say cilantro).

Chives for their versatility are always a must, but it may surprise you to see thyme ahead of parsley on my list.  I use thyme almost daily. This is one versatile and hardy plant: it happily tolerates heat and drought, an be propagated by seeds, cuttings or root division, is a good source of iron, and tea made from dried leaves is said to treat the common cold.

I divide it every year to share with friends and currently have three pots of it growing in the container garden, and another very large plant in the ground.  This little wonder herb enhances a wide variety of foods, makes an excellent flavored vinegar, is a must when making your own stock, and adds a special freshness to a salad when the small leaves are stripped from a stem and tossed in with the greens. One of my favorite uses is in this recipe for salmon cakes.  It is contained both in the cakes and the accompanying sauce, so they complement each other nicely and offer a fresh taste not found in other salmon cake recipes that do not rely upon fresh herbs.

Salmon Cakes with Horseradish Thyme Mayonnaise

For the Salmon Cakes:
2 cups loosely packed crumbled cooked salmon
1/2 cup panko
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 drops Tabasco
Pinch of Old Bay Seasoning
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg, beaten to blend

For the Horseradish Thyme Mayonnaise:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 drops Tabasco
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons butter

Mesclun spring mix lightly tossed with a mild vinaigrette

Directions:
Combine first 10 ingredients in medium bowl and stir gently to blend. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix in egg. Shape salmon mixture into 6 patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Arrange on plate.

Combine 3/4 cup mayonnaise, lemon juice, Tabasco, horseradish and 2 1/2 teaspoons thyme in small bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Salmon cakes and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap separately and refrigerate.)

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add salmon cakes and saute until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Serve with on top of a bed of  lightly dressed, mixed greens, and top salmon cakes with sauce.