Old Bay Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Seafood Cakes with Bread and Butter Pickle Tartar Sauce

Louis Kemp provided me with product for the purpose of this post, as well as compensation for my time. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Old Bay Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Seafood Cakes with Bread and Butter Pickle Tartar Sauce is the perfect pairing; flavorful, oven-crisped patties topped with a creamy sauce that comes together in 30 minutes!

If I had to choose one thing I love to eat and frequently order at restaurants but don’t make often enough at home, it would have to be seafood, followed closely by steak. I don’t know why; it’s not like these things are challenging to make, but I think they’re out of my comfort zone (probably because I don’t give myself enough practice making them!).

I have always loved a good seafood patty though. One of my favorite summer suppers growing up that my mom would make was seafood patties with buttered and salted corn on the cob, and fresh-sliced tomatoes served with her creamy dressing. That meal is perfect in its simplicity; it features fresh, local produce at their peak, paired with flavorful seafood patties that can be whipped up in about half an hour. Here in Florida where it’s almost always warm enough to feel like summer (at least summer in Buffalo where I’m from), I get to make those special meals that remind me of summer anytime.

A great thing about seafood cakes in addition to how easy they are to whip up is that they’re a perfect for using up leftovers you have on hand. I used quinoa here, but rice is also delicious. These seafood cakes feature Louis Kemp Crab Delights, which is actually made from wild-caught Alaskan Pollock. According to their website, surimi, or “imitation crab”, is a Japanese term that refers to ground meat and is a form of Kamaboko, a highly regarded Japanese food originating from the 12^th century. I’ve always liked the flavor of Pollock, and I was pleasantly surprised when I recently found out that it’s a good source of omega-3s. It’s also a good source of protein and low in cholesterol.

I added Old Bay spice mix and Worcestershire sauce to these cakes because those two flavors go so well in seafood cakes. On a whim I decided to mix up a quick tartar sauce and I was glad I did because it was a wonderful way to accent the flavor and texture of the patties. I kept a lot of the flavors the same in the sauce as in the seafood cakes (red onion, roasted red bell pepper, and Old Bay), so the sauce echoes the flavor of the patties, but is a nice contrast in texture. I also added bread and butter pickles to the tartar sauce, but dill would also work if that’s what’s in your fridge.

What’s something you love to eat but don’t make often at home?