Salmon Ball

This is the South Beach diet version of a Cheese Ball. I love making Cheese Balls, especially at Christmas. It was an easy appetizer to throw together and really quite delicious. It did not taste at all dietetic. Of course South Beach recommends serving with veggies only, and a serving size is just 2 Tbsp. Really?!?  I also added a few crackers.

Dr. Arthur Agatston, South Beach cardiologist, wrote this book in 2004. It’s a fabulous and sensible diet, but being a “foodie” with strong interest (OK…obsession) in learning about foods from around the world, special sauces, unique cooking methods, it’s a hard diet for me to stick to for life, but every once and awhile my husband and I will go on it for a month.

I changed up the recipe a bit by adding shallot instead of onion and 2 Tbsp. rather than 1. Any one of the onion family would work. I also added 3 Tbsp. chopped dill rather than parsley; a dash of white pepper; lemon zest and doubled the lemon juice to 2 Tbsp.; and finally increased the sliced almonds from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup. Next time I will double the amount of prepared horseradish from 1 tsp. to 2.

I also toasted the almonds to enhance their flavor.

To toast the almonds heat a heavy bottomed skillet and drop the sliced almonds in stirring occasionally so they don’t burn.

I made this for our Thursday canasta afternoon and made 2 versions: one with the toasted almonds and one rolled in dill, as one of our Canasta ladies cannot eat nuts. Hello Dianna!

This recipe made two 4″ balls and one 3″ ball so we had one for home, too.

Dice the dill as finely as you can.

Do the same with the shallots.

Drain the canned wild salmon well and remove the skin and bones. Mash the cream cheese (I used 1/3 fat Philadelphia brand) and then add all other ingredients, except the salmon. Once they are mixed thoroughly add the salmon and stir to completely flake and incorporate the fish. You do not want any chunks of salmon. It should all be well blended.

It doesn’t look very pretty, which is why the nut or herb crust makes it a lot more appealing. Taste for salt/pepper, lemon or more dill, if you like it herbier. At this point, the mixture will be quite soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour.

Remove from the fridge and cut 3 pieces of plastic wrap ready to receive the salmon mixture. You can also make just one big ball or any configuration you like. Place the dill or almonds, whichever you are using on the plastic wrap and drop some of the salmon mixture onto the plastic wrap. Sprinkle more dill or nuts on top to evenly cover and pull all 4 corners of the plastic together to form a ball. Twist at the top and using your fingers smooth out the ball, just as you would making cheese balls.

Place the balls in the refrigerator and cool for at least 4 hours.

Use the same process with the toasted almonds. Once the balls have firmed up remove the plastic wrap and serve with veggies, crackers, or toast points. I think lightly toasted pumpernickel toast points would be awesome!

Just as with Cheese Balls, this Salmon Ball harkens to the 50’s and 60’s, although Cheese Balls have been around a lot longer than that.

Fun cheese ball fact: The first cheeseball was believed to be made in Cheshire, Massachusetts in 1801 as a gift for President Thomas Jefferson. 

The Salmon Balls are easy and a nice twist on the Cheese Ball. I think you will enjoy it!

Tomorrow my husband and I are leaving for an Alaskan cruise. We are sailing Oceania, which boasts the best cuisine in the industry. I am hoping to do a blog just of the food we eat and maybe even get a glimpse into the galley. Galley is maritime terminology for kitchen on an airplane or ship. The word originated with the long, flat ships of ancient Greece and Rome, which had dedicated cooking areas.

Oceania has two new executive culinary directors: Chef Alexis Quaretti and Chef Eric Barale, both master French chefs. They succeeded Jaques Pepin, the founding father of Oceania Cruises’ culinary philosophy: “The finest cuisine at sea“. He still serves as a culinary advisor.

I love Jacques Pepin! As I love all things French!

To learn more, go to: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/culinary

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF LIFE TO THE FULLEST!

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Salmon Ball

Easy to make and very tasty! Just the right amount of smoke, herbs and creaminess from the cream cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 7 1/2 oz. Canned wild salmon I like the Deming's Red Sockeye brand.
• 8 oz. 1/3 less fat Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. Diced shallots
• 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• Lemon zest from about half the lemon
• 1 tsp. Prepared horseradish
• 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/8 tsp. White pepper
• 1/4 tsp. Liquid smoke
• 3 Tbsp. Finely diced dill, more if using to coat the ball
• 3/4 cup Sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Instructions

• Heat a heavy-bottom skillet until very hot, but not smoking. I generally use cast iron. Reduce heat to medium and add the sliced almonds stirring every so often for about 5 minutes until very lightly browned. They can burn easily so keep your eye on them. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
• Drain the salmon well and remove skin and bones.
• Mash the cream cheese until very creamy. Add the shallots, lemon juice and zest, dill, horseradish, salt, white pepper, and liquid smoke. Mix until well combined.
• Add the salmon and flake and stir until all the salmon pieces are incorporated into the mixture. Taste for seasoning.
• Cover the bowl and set in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour.
• Remove from the fridge and place the coating you are using (dill or sliced toasted almonds) on piece(s) of plastic wrap. Make one large Salmon Ball or several smaller balls. Drop the salmon mixture onto the topping and then add more nuts or herb to coat the entire ball.
• Grasping all four corners of the plastic wrap, roll into a ball and twist the top of the plastic wrap to hold the ball firmly in place. Using your fingers smooth out the ball. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm and chilled.
• When ready to serve, remove the Salmon Ball from the plastic wrap and serve with crackers, veggies, or both.