Salmon Patties

Method

1. mix8 min
   salmon mashed, everything but half the crumbs folded in
   the drained salmon mashed with its soft bones — they disappear entirely and carry the calcium the label advertises, a fact every Southern grandmother knew before the label did — then eggs + half the crumbs + onion + mayonnaise + mustard + lemon + salt + pepper folded to a mix that just holds a shape
2. rest15 min
   patties formed, remaining crumbs pressed on, chilled
   formed into palm-size patties, coated in the reserved crumbs, and into the fridge — the chill is the anti-crumble defense, the modern rule added to the heirloom recipe: cold binds what the skillet would otherwise scatter
3. fry8 min
   medium-high shallow oil, 3-4 min a side, flipped ONCE
   the patties into the hot oil and left to build their crust — one confident flip at deep gold, never a nervous series of them: every extra flip is a stress test the patty didn't sign up for; racked a minute, salted warm
4. top2 min
   lemon or tartar, and the supper is served
   lemon squeezed over or the catalog's tartar sauce alongside — with mashed potatoes and green beans in the classic frame, or on a bun as the sandwich the leftovers were always destined to become; a pantry-shelf supper that never needed the pantry excuse