Fishy Fries

These salmon fritters are a brilliant way to turn a humble can of pink Alaskan salmon into something crispy, golden, and genuinely fun to eat. Flaked salmon gets folded into a light batter made fluffy with stiffly whisked egg whites, then dropped by spoonfuls into hot oil until puffed and golden brown all over.

The egg white batter is what makes these special. Whipping the whites to stiff peaks and folding them in (rather than just mixing everything together) creates an airy, tempura-like coating that puffs up in the hot oil. The result is a fritter that’s crispy on the outside and light, almost cloud-like on the inside with flakes of salmon throughout.

Working in small batches of 4 to 5 at a time is important. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and produces greasy, pale fritters instead of crispy, golden ones. A quick drain on kitchen paper and they’re ready to serve hot with tartar sauce or ketchup.

Kitchen Tips

• Whisk the egg whites until truly stiff. Soft peaks deflate when folded into the batter and you lose that light, airy texture.
• Fold gently with a spatula. Stirring knocks the air out of the egg whites. Use slow, sweeping motions to combine without deflating.
• Use plenty of oil. The fritters need room to float and turn. Shallow oil means flat fritters that don’t puff properly.
• 45 seconds per side is the target. These cook fast. Overcooking makes them tough and dry inside.

Variations

• Add sweet corn kernels to the batter for extra sweetness and pops of texture.
• Tuna swap: Use canned tuna instead of salmon for a milder fish fritter.
• Spiced batter: Mix in a pinch of cayenne or Old Bay seasoning to the flour for a kicked-up version.