The recipe for Herbed Salmon Cakes appears in the cookbook “One-Pan Wonders.”ASSOCIATED PRESS

A good salmon cake delivers rich flavor and tender texture; the best veers away from flavor-muting binders at all costs.

We used a food processor to chop salmon into a mix of both fine and larger pieces for a varied and not overly dense texture. A single slice of bread provided just enough binding, and a combination of shallot, parsley, mustard, and capers complemented the salmon; a bit of mayonnaise ensured our patties would stay moist.

Broiling the patties made them easy to flip and kept them from overcooking. We arranged them on one end of a baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for a broiler-friendly vegetable — asparagus — to cook simultaneously. A quick lemon and parsley sauce added a touch of class.

Be sure to use raw salmon here; do not substitute cooked or canned salmon. Don’t overprocess the salmon, or the cakes will have a pasty texture. Lay the salmon cakes close together on the baking sheet so that the asparagus has a little extra space for browning.