Herbed Salmon Cakes With Asparagus and Lemon-Herb Sauce

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Lemon-Herb Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 scallion, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

Salmon Cakes and Asparagus

1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces

1 pound skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and minced

Salt and pepper

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the lemon-herb sauce: Combine all ingredients in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

For the salmon cakes and asparagus: Adjust oven rack 3 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 4 pulses, then transfer to large bowl; you should have about 3/4 cup crumbs. Working in 2 batches, pulse salmon in food processor until coarsely ground, about 4 pulses; transfer to bowl with bread crumbs and toss to combine.

Whisk shallot, mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, capers, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in small bowl, then gently fold into salmon mixture until well combined. Divide salmon mixture into 4 equal portions and gently pack into 1-inch-thick patties.

Place salmon cakes on 1 side of rimmed baking sheet. Toss asparagus with oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and spread in single layer on empty side of sheet. Broil until cakes are lightly browned on both sides, barely translucent at center, and register 120 F to 125 F (for medium-rare), and asparagus is lightly browned and tender, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping cakes and turning asparagus halfway through broiling.

Remove sheet from oven, transfer salmon and asparagus to platter, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon-herb sauce.