Scallion Sardine Cakes

In my Omega 3 Fish class, I sing the praises of canned sardines because they hit the gold standards for sustainable seafood, affordability, low mercury content, and of course, high Omega 3 content.  The only issue is that they are really fishy tasting.  (Actually all high Omega 3 fish will be because the high fat/oil content is also what keeps that fishy taste.)  Plus most of the sardine recipes out there combine them with toast, pasta, or breadcrumbs which is fine, but not necessarily the best option if you want to include more anti-inflammatory ingredients in your diet.  These cakes (a play on crab cakes) have been my go-to pantry way to make a sardine dinner.  I find the Asian seasonings help fight the fishiness but you can also try them with Mediterranean seasonings like garlic and parsley instead.  Serve with a big side of veggies like roasted broccoli or sauteed kale.

Scallion Sardine Cakes recipe
serves 2

for cakes:
2 4.4-ounce cans of sardines (in oil or water; with bones or without)
1 egg
2 scallions, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon tamari
1/4 cup arrowroot starch/flour
salt and pepper
drizzle of grapeseed oil

for dipping sauce:
1 tablespoon Sriracha
2 tablespoons mayo

1. Drain sardines and lightly mash in a small mixing bowl with a fork.  Add egg, scallions, ginger, garlic, tamari and arrowroot.  Combine into an even mixture with a fork.  (Sardines will continue to break up which is great.)  The mixture may look a little wet but it will still hold together because of the egg.  If it looks super wet or isn't holding together you can add more arrowroot.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet and drizzle a little grapeseed oil.  Form tablespoon-sized patties and fry lightly until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.  You should have 10 patties.

3. Combine Sriracha and mayo for dipping sauce and serve immediate with cakes.  They make good leftovers too!