Crispy Sockeye Salmon Sliders with Shrimp Slaw & Spicy Lemon Aioli

Turning Leftovers Into Something New

As mentioned in the Crispy Sockeye Salmon Cakes with Lemon Herb Aioli recipe yesterday, I turned the leftovers into a very quick, simple dinner. I know a lot of people aren’t fans of reheating fish — Lord knows Chef Mike doesn’t do fish any favors once it’s done cooking; that smell hits immediately. Instead, I dropped the cakes into my Breville and baked them at 400°F for about 5 minutes, just until warmed through.

I’d hoped to find a potato-style slider roll, but couldn’t track any down, so I went with the “famous” brown bread slider buns from Cheesecake Factory instead. I toasted the inside of each bun in a pan before building the sliders.

Freshening Up the Aioli

I freshened up the remaining aioli with a little Kewpie mayo, Dijon mustard, some caper brine, a squeeze of Yellow Bird hot sauce, and a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning.

The Shrimp Slaw

I’d bought pre-made coleslaw as a backup, but I’d also made Alton Brown’s coleslaw recipe a few days earlier — I think the cabbage I used just wasn’t great. That said, the coleslaw dressing was excellent after sitting a few days. I would’ve preferred chopped chives, but used flat-leaf parsley since I was out. I added a small squeeze of lemon juice, but honestly, the slaw sauce made the dish.

I also mixed in the shrimp mixture from Brian Lagerstrom’s Shrimp Roll recipe — a combination of mayo, chives, lemon zest, and lemon juice — to turn the coleslaw into a shrimp slaw.

Building the Sliders

The final build: toasted brown buns layered with the shrimp slaw, a crispy salmon patty, and a spicy lemon aioli on top. Ridiculously easy to eat, with a great flavor and texture profile — soft bun, crunchy slaw, crispy salmon cake, and a hint of heat from the aioli. I love finding a second life for one dinner.