Crispy Rice Cakes with Salmon and Donkey Sauce Recipe

Crispy Rice Cakes with Salmon and Donkey Sauce

• Difficulty: Easy
• Servings: 16 servings
• Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 of 16): Calories 258, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Carbohydrates 21 g, Dietary Fiber 0 g, Sugar 2 g, Protein 6 g, Cholesterol 17 mg, Sodium 171 mg
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Active Time: 40 minutes

Transform your appetizer game with these irresistible crispy rice cakes topped with spicy salmon and Guy Fieri's legendary Donkey Saucea bold twist on sushi rolls that swaps Japanese mayo for garlic-packed flavor explosion. Get ready to wow your guests!

Ingredients

For the Rice Cakes:

• 1 3/4 cups sushi rice
• Vegetable oil, for brushing and frying
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Kosher salt

For the Salmon Topping:

• 1/4 cup Donkey Sauce (recipe below)
• 2 teaspoons sriracha
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 12 ounces sushi-grade salmon, cut into large chunks
• Sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Donkey Sauce:

• 2 heads garlic
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare the rice cakes: Cook sushi rice according to package directions. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with foil, leaving some overhang on two sides. Lightly brush the foil with vegetable oil.
2. In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt until the sugar dissolves. Drizzle this over the warm rice and toss to combine. Evenly and firmly press the rice into the foil-lined pan. Chill in the refrigerator until the rice is firm and cold, at least 1 hour.
3. Using the foil edges, lift the rice block out of the pan and cut into 16 even squares. Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the rice squares in two batches, carefully turning to brown all sides until golden and crisp, about 7 to 9 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Add oil between batches as needed and adjust heat if the rice browns too quickly.
4. Make the salmon topping: In a food processor, combine Donkey Sauce, sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and sesame oil; pulse to blend. Add the salmon chunks and pulse briefly just to combine and break up the salmon into small pieces.
5. Top each crispy rice cake with the salmon mixture, then sprinkle with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately and watch them disappear!

Donkey Sauce Preparation

• Yield: Approximately 1 1/4 cups

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut about 1 inch off the pointed top of each garlic head, exposing the cloves. Place the garlic heads on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in the foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the garlic is very tender and soft, about 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Squeeze out 1/4 cup of the roasted garlic cloves (reserve the rest for another recipe). Mash the garlic thoroughly.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the mashed garlic with mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use. This powerhouse sauce elevates everything it touches!

Photograph by Mike Garten