Salmon Bites Recipe

Prep salmon

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Cut the salmon into bite-sized cubes, about 1 to 1-1/4 inch pieces. Keep refrigerated until ready to bread.

Make dry and wet coatings

In a shallow bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. In a separate bowl beat the egg with the milk until combined. Place the panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.

Bread the salmon

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, dredge each salmon cube first in the flour mixture, shaking off excess; then dip into the egg-milk mixture, letting excess drip off; finally press into panko so each piece is evenly coated. Set breaded pieces on a tray and rest for 5 minutes to help adherence.

Fry the bites

Pour vegetable oil into a 10-12 inch skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (if you don’t have a thermometer, heat until a breadcrumb sizzles immediately). Add breaded salmon in a single layer, leaving space between pieces. Fry 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and salmon reaches an internal temperature of 125–130°F (for medium). Transfer to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Repeat with remaining pieces. Keep warm in a 200°F oven if needed.

Season and serve

Sprinkle a light pinch of salt over the hot bites and serve immediately with lemon wedges, smokey chipotle aioli, and cherry pepper rémoulade for dipping.

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, minced chipotle in adobo, smoked paprika, lime juice, minced garlic, honey, and salt. Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust heat by adding more chipotle or thin with 1–2 tsp water or additional lime juice if needed. Chill at least 15 minutes for flavors to meld.

In a small bowl stir together chopped pickled cherry peppers, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, chopped capers, lemon juice, chopped parsley, optional hot sauce, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust acidity or salt. Chill at least 10 minutes before serving to develop flavor.