Name: Ground Sockeye Salmon Meatballs, Persian-Style
Prep time: PT1.25H15M
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: PT1.75H45M
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: persian
Ingredients: ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons basmati rice, soaked in cold water for an hour; 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 2 tablespoons dried mint; ¾ cup yellow onion, diced, divided; 1 (12-ounce) package ground sockeye salmon; 1 egg; 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper; Neutral cooking oil; ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons tomato paste; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; 2 cups water; Half a lemon, cut into wedges; Fresh mint springs, to garnish

A Pescatarian Twist on Kofta

For a flavorful, pescatarian take on a quintessential Persian meal, make a batch of spiced meatballs with ground sockeye salmon. This kofta-inspired dish can get you through the chill of the season with warm flavors and rustic textures, comforting enough to get cozy but surprisingly light, too.

Our recipe for Persian-style ground sockeye salmon meatballs was heavily adapted from Louisa Shafia’s recipe for classic Persian kofta from Food52. Swapping in ground sockeye salmon was an easy, if unconventional, substitution for more conventional protein options.

The ground sockeye is bound together with a bit of egg and raw basmati rice that's been soaked for about an hour prior to cooking. (That means it's a gluten-free meatball!) As the rice soaks, it'll soften a bit, and will ultimately cook through once the meatballs have simmered in a tomato paste-based sauce that's been spiced up with cinnamon and turmeric. The meatballs themselves are also enriched with flavor, with onion, garlic, and plenty of dried mint to give them a Persian-inspired flavor profile. To finish the dish, serve the meatballs with a generous wedge of fresh lemon to squeeze over the meatballs just before serving.

Print Recipe

Ground Sockeye Salmon Meatballs, Persian-Style

By Wild Alaskan Company

Prep time

75 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total time

105 minutes

Yield

2 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons basmati rice, soaked in cold water for an hour
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons dried mint
¾ cup yellow onion, diced, divided
1 (12-ounce) package ground sockeye salmon
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Neutral cooking oil
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups water
Half a lemon, cut into wedges
Fresh mint springs, to garnish

Instructions

1. Thoroughly rinse and drain soaked rice in a fine mesh strainer, then combine in a food processor with garlic, mint, and half of the diced onion. Pulse until coarsely ground, about the texture of fine gravel. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Then, add ground salmon, salt, and pepper. Add rice mixture to the bowl, and mix well.

3. Using your hands, form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs, setting finished ones on a plate. You should end up with between 15 and 20 meatballs.

4. Heat up water in a small pot. The water doesn’t need to reach a boil, but it should be hot when you’re ready to use it.

5. Meanwhile, add cooking oil to a large skillet, using just enough to cover bottom of pan, and heat up over medium heat. Carefully place salmon meatballs into pan, without crowding them. Do this in batches, if necessary. As they cook, you’ll notice that the meatballs will flatten slightly and release some albumin, but they should pick up some good color where they come into contact with the pan. Allow meatballs to brown on both sides for about 3 minutes per side, using a fish spatula to flip them halfway through. Gently remove meatballs from skillet and set aside.

6. Add more cooking oil to the skillet, using just enough to cover bottom of pan, then add remaining onions. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, until they just begin to caramelize, lowering heat if necessary to avoid too much browning. Then, carefully pour in hot water, tomato paste, cinnamon, and turmeric, stirring thoroughly to combine. Bring the ingredients to a simmer, then carefully reintroduce meatballs to the skillet. Cover skillet with lid and cook for 20 minutes, flipping meatballs halfway through.

7. Transfer salmon meatballs and sauce to a serving platter and garnish with fresh mint and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.

Ground Sockeye Salmon Meatballs, Persian-Style

A Pescatarian Twist on Kofta

Ground Sockeye Salmon Meatballs, Persian-Style

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